We Are NOT Journalists

Why I am not a journalist and your favorite creator probably isn't either ...

This essay was originally published on February 1st, I’ve republished it with changes from it’s original version*

I deliver the news to approximately 300 million people a month across social media, but I am not a journalist. I launched my platform, HeresWhyKevin, on Instagram three years ago to break down stories I thought deserved more coverage and to explain why people weren’t talking about them. Since then, I’ve grown a sizable following. My audience trusts me to deliver the latest news to them, but I am not a journalist. I travel to Washington, D.C., to interview members of Congress and ask them to explain what’s happening to our federal government. But still I am not a journalist—and your favorite digital creator you rely on to give you the news probably isn’t one either.

Here’s why:

Journalism is a profession. It is built on training, standards, and a sense of responsibility to the public. Journalists go through a process before they’re considered legit: They earn degrees, learn ethics, and operate under strict editorial oversight. They work hard to establish themselves as professionals, and they serve a critical role in our democracy. I respect the work journalists do and the role they play in our society. I’ve wanted to be a journalist since I was a kid.

My Dominican family relied on Jorge Ramos and María Elena Salinas to give us the news on Univision every night. We trusted them, and we knew what they were saying was important. I grew up admiring Jorge. I remember him reporting live from New York City after 9/11, and then standing up to Trump in 2015. I always wanted to be like Jorge Ramos—to be trusted to tell the truth, hold leaders accountable, and ask hard questions. But life happened, and I was not able to pursue a traditional career in journalism.

Jorge Ramos in New York City on 09/12/2001

Sure, there is some overlap. I run a large platform that reaches millions of people, and I share the news. I conduct interviews with public officials. I break down important issues for my audience. But I am rarely breaking these stories, and I don’t get major scoops. And yes, there is a difference between breaking a story and saying the phrase “Breaking News!” at the top of your videos. I rely on the work of journalists across the country at publications big and small. I read their work, make myself as familiar with the subject as possible, and then present my audience with the most succinct, digestible version of that reporting. And then I cite my sources!

I am not trying to downplay my own work—or anyone else’s. I know that what I do is valuable and important. But out of respect for the labor of the journalists whose work I rely on, I don’t want to blur the lines between my job and theirs. In today’s social media landscape, we all need to be clearer about these distinctions. There are a lot of people whose audiences call them journalists when they’re really just content creators or commentators. That creates confusion—and even mistrust—when it comes to real journalism.

Donald Trump has spent years attacking reporters and sowing doubt in our institutions. We’ve seen trust in the media drop to historic lows. At the same time, people online can find content creators who cover the news they want to hear about, in ways they agree with, and then call them “journalists” and thrust that responsibility onto people who have not earned it.

During the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, I remember my peers going back and forth with traditional reporters who were upset that new media had been invited to cover the convention. Someone even said, “They’re just mad because they know we’re replacing them.” That sent chills down my spine.

We are not replacing journalists. And we should not want to.

Social media has given us new ways to connect with each other, to share valuable information, and to build our own platforms. But we would not be able to do any of that without the hard work of journalists around the world—from Washington, D.C., to Iran and Gaza. We rely on their reporting to inform our audiences, and we need to respect them, credit them, and speak up for them. That’s especially true as journalists like Georgia Fort and Don Lemon are being targeted by the government and corporations and as major publications lay off a third of their newsrooms. We should aim to work alongside traditional media, not compete with it.

Everyone must be clear about the role they play in this information ecosystem and the people who make that work possible. Maybe we will develop a different title—a role we shape to fit the moment we’re in right now. Until then, I choose to be honest about what I am and what I’m not. I suggest everyone else do the same.