In this episode of the solecast I chat with Abby Martin of The Empire Files. Abby is a grassroots independent journalist who has worked previously for RT, Telesur and helped found Media Roots. Her show Empire Files does in depth analysis on the US empire with wide ranging guests from Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz, Chris Hedges, and Noam Chomsky to name a few. Due to US sanctions on Venezuela Telesur’s funding of Empire Files was cut off so now they continue that work and are a 100% viewer funded operation. This is a wide ranging and at times funny conversation with some huge takeaways. There were many things Abby articulated in this interview I’ve never heard articulated elsewhere. Abby’s vantage point has given her a one of kind approach and analysis that you will not hear anywhere else. In this podcast we discuss: How the “fake new” narrative has negatively impacts independent journalists The ways corporate media algorithms & clickbait are shaping our world Making sense of Donald Trump’s foreign policy The strange evolution of conspiracy culture A recent historical backdrop to the Venezuela situation and her recent personal experiences there How NGO funding models impacts “independent media” The importance of art and nature to remain grounded in the fight To learn more about The Empire Files subscribe to their newsletter, watch em on youtube and back em on patreon.