Adding to this: multiple mainstream networks that asked for permission to use my footage went silent or said they were no longer interested when I told them there is a fee to license my content. And so they just didn’t report on it... (continued)
I turned down Storyful, who offer indie journalists a rev share (which we can’t track) so that they can sell licensing of our content to nearly every major outlet that purchases content from them. It’s a bad deal to those of us who are risking a lot out there in the field...
CNN went around using my footage by writing an article & listed me as an unnamed “independent journalist” linking to my video on Twitter, which is legal. The kicker was the article stated they couldn’t confirm if it was police or feds... but neither reporter reached out to me. 🤦♂️
It’s concerning to me that major networks would rather not report a big story if it requires them to pay anything out of pocket...even if it’s a fraction of what it would be if they had sent in a crew.
Let me be clear, I do this because I’m passionate about covering the truth. This is not about money for me. But if you’re a multi-billion dollar company and you’re gonna profit off my stuff, then yeah, I deserve to be paid for it.
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🧵I am starting my journey today with an American & Ukrainian aid worker to deliver supplies to those most vulnerable/affected along the eastern and southern front lines in #Ukraine. Please follow along for updates throughout the week.
Started in Kyiv this morning, got on a 4-hour train to meet people I didn’t know in a different city, jumped into their black van, drove 12 hours across the entire country and will be sleeping 18 miles from the Russian border.
Helluva day.
Stopped at the site of a former cafeteria in Izium. The city was under Russian occupation & was the site of horrific war crimes. It was liberated in September. So far, one mass grave has been found in the city containing at least 440 bodies, some w/ hands tied behind their backs.
For those that don't know, Moldova is situated in a strategic position for Russia. One long sliver of Moldova borders E Ukraine (called Transnistria), which is under military occupation of Russia. There are 1500 Russian troops there + the largest ammo depot in Eastern Europe.
Russia has started the groundwork of destabilizing the country. Last Tuesday, Putin revoked a 2012 foreign policy decree that in part recognized Moldova’s independence. Russia’s MoD then accused Ukraine of “preparing an armed provocation” against Transnistria, w/o any evidence.
I came across this powerful post by Michael @McFaul, a Professor of Political Science at Stanford University & former US Ambassador to Russia. I recommend subscribing to his substack, but I will include his post about Ukraine in the thread below... open.substack.com/pub/michaelmcf…
"I just got back from the Munich Security Conference last night. It’s one of my favorite conferences as it allows me to see many people from across the European continent and the world in just one long weekend..."
"...Until Putin invaded Ukraine, it was also one of the only places in the world that I could meet with Russians – diplomats, MPs, think-tankers, and businesspeople (aka “oligarchs”) – since I have been on Putin’s sanctions list since 2014..."
The center of Warsaw is preparing for President Biden’s motorcade.
Ukrainians have put up a banner stating, “Mr. Biden, send F-16 to Ukraine” across from where the President is staying. I could hear these chants in my hotel a distance away, so I can only imagine this can be heard within his hotel.