This week I want to profile Laura Flanders, a woman doing extraordinarily important work in the field of alternative journalism. I call the sort of work she does “alternative” because you won’t find it on any of the big-name, mainstream network outlets. Instead, she hosts GRITtv and GRITradio, two viewer-supported news-talk shows that can be seen and heard in a variety of formats and places, including via several online venues.
Actually, I discovered Flanders when I saw a clip of GRITtv on YouTube. I immediately liked her interview style. She was brassy and insightful. I decided, right then and there, to find out more about her and discovered that she’s obviously a very busy woman who’s got her finger in about twenty-five different pies at any given moment (see lauraflanders.com). In addition to her GRIT work, she is a best-selling author and has been interviewed, on TV, by every big name under the sun. In my opinion, though, her biggest contribution is the work she does for the GRIT network of programs.
The GRITtv site describes Flanders as someone who has “built a reputation for presenting new perspectives on national and international issues, and for introducing non-traditional ‘experts’ into the conventional political debate.” That mission, to give a platform to the type of voices one doesn’t normally hear on mainstream TV, is vital. One of my great frustrations when I’m home in the States comes as I watch what passes for debate on CNN or some such place. I get tired of hearing the same old senators and military commanders and think tankers and et cetera champion the same old tired views. What I crave is the unique perspective, the outside-the-box rationale! For those with similar frustrations and desires, Laura Flanders and GRITtv will be your antidote.
To give you a little taste of Flanders’ style and the show itself, I’ve included a brief clip. If you like what you see, have a longer look and remember that GRITtv accepts viewer contributions.
