Crafting the Frame

In Episode 2 of Media in the Margins, Becky Beamer talks with V Spehar, creator of Under the Desk News, about what happens when journalism is built directly for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and short-form video culture.V explains how creator journalism mirrors traditional media with reporters, commentators, specialists, explainers, and public voices but removes the old gatekeeping structure. Instead of relying on a masthead to carry authority, independent journalists must build trust through storytelling, transparency, consistency, and direct accountability to audiences.The conversation moves from platform-native news to ethics, mentorship, transparency statements, public values, and what it means to “perform the news” without turning journalism into empty performance. V also discusses why publishing ethics, funding information, mission statements, and red lines are not optional extras for creator journalists — they are part of becoming trustworthy.Guest BioV Spehar is an award-winning digital journalist, podcaster, and creator of Under the Desk News, a platform-native news project known for making current events more accessible, emotionally aware, and human. V has built a following of more than 4.7 million and has appeared across legacy outlets including CNN, NPR, and PBS. Their official site describes Under the Desk News as a project that makes news more human and accessible.They go live daily, Mon-Thurs from 10-11:30am ET. Additionally, if you could link their Substack, that would be amazing! Please find the links to each below:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4e3Gm46D6hWqVyjwkgS33g https://underthedesknews.substack.com/ Key ThemesPlatform-native journalismPeer-to-peer authority rather than institutional authorityWhy young audiences distrust traditional news formatsTransparency statements and public ethicsNews as performance and its risksCreator journalism as an ecosystem, not a single categoryLinks Under the Desk News: https://underthedesknews.com/V Spehar / Under the Desk News Substack: https://underthedesknews.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/underthedesknews/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@underthedesknewsEthics & TransparencyThis episode is part of Media in the Margins, a public-facing research and journalism project. We treat journalism as an evolving process built through dialogue, transparency, and revision. Editorial control remains with the host and production team, and any corrections, updates, ethics notes, or source links will be documented in the show notes:https://bleepbleepproductions.start.page

In the first episode of Media in the Margins, Becky Beamer speaks with Salla-Rosa Gröhn, a Finnish media professional specializing in social media journalism, audience engagement, and youth-focused platform-native storytelling.This conversation asks a deceptively simple question: Can journalists learn from influencers without losing journalistic integrity?Salla-Rosa discusses how journalism is changing on social media, what it takes to reach audiences who are not engaging with traditional news outlets, and why credible public-interest media cannot afford to abandon the platforms where people spend much of their daily lives. The episode also explores language barriers, AI translation, platform censorship, ethical self-regulation, and the need for trustworthy journalism to become more visible, accessible, and human online.Salla-Rosa’s work includes the 2022 Polis / LSE report “Can Journalists Be Influencers?”, which examines how journalists can adapt influencer-style communication to reach hard-to-reach audiences while maintaining independence and authority. Her public profile also notes her work with Yle Kioski and her focus on social media storytelling for young and hard-to-reach audiences.Key ThemesTrust on social platformsJournalists as public-facing personalitiesInfluencer methods without influencer ethics driftAI translation and language barriersWhy credible journalism must be present where audiences already arePlatform censorship and the limits of big-tech distributionLinksSalla-Rosa Gröhn — personal site: https://www.sallarosa.com/aboutReuters Institute profile: https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/people/salla-rosa-grohnLSE report — Can Journalists Be Influencers?: https://blogsmedia.lse.ac.uk/blogs.dir/19/files/2022/06/22_0295-POLIS-Report-Journo-Influencers-V4.pdfEthics & TransparencyThis episode is part of Media in the Margins, a public-facing research and journalism project. We treat journalism as an evolving process built through dialogue, transparency, and revision. Editorial control remains with the host and production team, and any corrections, updates, ethics notes, or source links will be documented in the show notes:https://bleepbleepproductions.start.page

Media in the Margins is a public-facing journalism and artistic research project about creator journalism, independent media, platform power, and public trust. We approach journalism as an evolving process rather than a finished product, and we treat knowledge-making as something developed through dialogue, transparency, and revision.Media in the Margins is a video podcast about the future of journalism, creator-led reporting, platform power, public trust, and the independent media workers building new forms of accountability outside traditional institutions.Hosted by Becky Beamer, an Associate Professor of Photojournalism at OsloMet University and documentary filmmaker, the series brings together journalists, researchers, creators, and media innovators who are reshaping how public knowledge is produced, distributed, questioned, and trusted.This first launch week celebrates World Press Freedom Week 2026, with five conversations exploring creator journalism, platform-native storytelling, investigative independence, media infrastructure, and primary-source documentation. After the first five episodes, new episodes will be released every Friday, with bonus and mini-episodes from Zambia connected to World Press Freedom Day and the cancellation of RightsCon 2026.Subscribe to support independent, ethical, evidence-driven journalism. https://bleepbleepproductions.start.page

Join us for a new podcast about the art world and the people who live in it. No gatekeeping, just honest conversations about art culture, history, memory, and perspectives.Crafting the Frame is a video podcast about how culture manufactures meaning in the Artworld, Media, and Education. The throughline is simple: seeing isn’t believing — belief is designed.In season 1, we position the investigation inside the art world: where it’s headed and how to appreciate work across genres. It is an ever-evolving conversation. We want to hear from you: feedback, corrections, new perspectives, or ideas.Co-hosts artists-scholars David W. Nees and Becky Beamer.Show notes and more information : https://bleepbleepproductions.start.page