First word of the Trump administration's since-rescinded order to freeze spending on federal loans and grants came not from a major news organization, but from a woman working alone in her Brooklyn apartment. Marisa Kabas' scoop this past week was a key moment for a growing cadre of journalists who work independently to gather and analyze news and market themselves as brands. Many are refugees from legacy outlets while others are scrappy newcomers like Kabas, who found traditional career paths unappealing or out of reach. "This week has been career-changing," Kabas said in an interview. "In a sense, my job has changed overnight."
Like many in the independent journalism world, she doesn't hide her opinions. She wrote that the OMB memo was "a truly unhinged document that sounds like it was written by the world's most petty 4Chan poster."
"She's got attitude, she's got personality," said Greg Munno, a journalism professor at Syracuse University. "I think attitude and personality help these independent journalists connect with readers and potentially sources."
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