EP09: The State of Independent Journalism Today

Description

The fight for truth has never felt more urgent, and few know that better than political journalist Maritsa Georgiou. In this episode, she joins Topher Williams to talk about the realities of journalism in a fractured media landscape, the rise of disinformation, and the Montana roots that shaped her belief in community and integrity.

Maritsa shares how early influences, from her grandfather’s work as a TV meteorologist to watching the aftermath of 9/11 unfold on live television, set her on a path to reporting. Over the years, she’s interviewed Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, covered wildfires, hurricanes, and high-profile tragedies, and seen firsthand how people rally together in moments of crisis. She reflects on the shift to independent media, the challenge of maintaining credibility when false narratives spread faster than facts, and the hope she holds onto that good will prevail.

From Montana newsrooms to national interviews, Maritsa’s path shows that journalism endures through persistence, curiosity, and the resolve to keep asking the questions others stop asking, even when the answers are uncomfortable or slow to surface, because truth rarely emerges without someone who refuses to let it go.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Media and Misinformation

00:32 Maritsa Georgiou

01:19 Changing the World: Raising Kind Kids

02:01 The Role of Journalists in Society

03:06 Launching the Grounded Podcast with Jon Tester

05:48 Inspiration to Become a Journalist

07:26 Optimism in Journalism and Advocacy

08:21 Community Resilience in Times of Tragedy

13:30 Iconic Interviews with Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton

17:07 Opportunities for Journalists in Montana

18:05 Transition to Independent Journalism