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I would say that at a minimum, this is a big factor. Here are a couple of thought experiments:
(1) Suppose you are a junior reporter at the New York Times or CNN and you break this story. How do you think your colleagues will perceive you and/or react?
(2) Suppose you're a citizen journalist who " produces a similar video involving church based daycares in suburban Dallas," How do you think the journalism community would react?
As far as the first question goes, there's not much need to speculate -- just check out the NPR hit-piece on Nick Shirley:
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/31/nx-s1-5662600/nick-shirley-minnesota-daycare-fraud
On the second question, it's very likely that you get accolades, job offers, offers of financial support from Leftist-controlled NGOs, etc.
Well, let's look at a case in Mississippi that hits me in the fandom. A former professional wrestler (and son of a famous 1980s wrestler) is going to trial next week for welfare fraud.
Pro wrestling is one of the better-documented fandoms on the Internet. Documentation of events spans back decades. Wrestlers who've moved on to other industries, from yoga to real estate still get some level of coverage. I would expect if there is any citizen journalism to be had, it would be a fanboy following their curiosity.
I've seen plenty of commentary stemming from the news media. I've never seen or heard of citizen-led journalism, or fan journalism that led up to force the case's hand. You'd think that Blues prosecuting Reds on their own turf would fit Case 2 - but it didn't happen. It seems that the state did its job before citizens had to - Reds prosecuting Reds. There's a joke in Blue corners that "Republicans will campaign that government doesn't work, and when they're elected - act in a way to prove it (by being incompetent and corrupt)." This is certainly a counterfactual I'll bring up in future conversations.
I don't think this is indicative of any larger social trends. Sometimes competent government oversight just happens. Sometimes journalism is just downstream of institutions. Maybe one day we'll see Case 2 rear its head. Stranger things have happened.
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There'd literally be a movie about it within 10 years.
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Utterly shocked that you travelled to Minneapolis prior to social media letting you know there was a potential story.
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