Breaking News via a Selfie Stick : the Creator Takeover of Breaking News - as shown at the Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial.
- Amanda Wilson
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
If we ever needed evidence that the world of news and event coverage has changed forever, the trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs leaves us in no doubt. Wow.
A team member at These Guys I Know is captivated by the trial and has followed the trial exclusively on TikTok, updated throughout the day by her chosen creators - @devotedly.yours, with 1.7 million followers being her “broadcaster” of choice. The creators themselves, being quite the spectacle, have become the subject of media coverage in their own right.
In years gone by - there used to be credible news crews on one side (packing gear & journalistic credentials) and paparazzi on the other (or round the back) hovering nearby either way for the money shot. Today, there’s a whole new addition to the media throng with influencers / creators live-streaming on phones - shooting and cutting content for fast turnaround content for their loyal audiences.
And it’s working, many have gained thousands of followers simply by being there. And that is what they’re there for.
It’s a legit plan, a smart play. I’m sure it paid off.
Having spent years poring over TV ratings, we know the power of events and court cases in terms of driving audience numbers, particularly with a bit of celeb-power thrown in there.
95 million of us tuned in to watch a slow car-chase involving OJ Simpson back in 1994, riveting viewing still regarded as one of the biggest tv moments of all time.
Today, it’s tricker to have a shared tv moment - eyeballs are fragmented across hundreds of streams, creators, and platforms. Diddy's trial has seen weeks of coverage from heritage media powerhouses through to independent podcasters like Stephanie Soo (Rotten Mango, 5M+ subscribers) and low-following TikTokers hoping this might be their moment.
There’s a lot to be excited about in this shift. The diversity of voices. The access. The transparency. The pure quirkiness. It’s fun. And I love that people can build something for themselves, create - literally, building successful careers from it. I'm all about that. But, for those who really value the sanctity of news as we have known it - the rigour, the ethics, the responsibility of journalism - it is going to take a while to get used to!
As one headline put it: a new media guard is taking over.
Are we ready for it? By the way - our ideal would be a mix of the two - a legit journalist in whom I have the greatest trust operating as if a creator on their own terms. Any takers? 👍 We will most certainly like and subscribe.
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