Janice Yu, a reporter for WABC in New York started a Twitter thread about the abuse journalists experience while out covering stories.
“Can we talk about the verbal abuse journalists deal with for simply doing our jobs?” she wrote yesterday. “A man walked by our live shot this morning and told us he hopes we die for doing our jobs. Why do people think this is ok?”
While many folks supported her and journalists in general, a few users took the time to open up about how they really felt about journalists.
One user with the username of Rod wrote, “If someone ‘walked’ by and said it, what does Twitter have to do with that? Stop bitching and grow up the corporate media is hated all over the country. You lie for a living.”
If someone "walked" by and said it, what does Twitter have to do with that? Stop bitching and grow up the corporate media is hated all over the country. You lie for a living
— Rod (@Rodr_76) January 17, 2023
We asked Yu about it, but haven’t heard back.
Another user named DefinitelyMaybeLibertarian wrote, “Janice really misses the days when lefty journalists were pampered and catered to on Twitter.
“You had a rando say something mean to you. It wasn’t right but, so what? The world isn’t going bend over backwards for you at all times. Welcome to being an adult Janice.”
Yu later blocked the user.
Still another called news propaganda and questioned the veracity of news reporting.
“Try reporting the truth. Your propaganda intentionally brainwashes skulls full of mush,” wrote Richard Eichinger. “People die cause of your lies. It’s not surprising to me that folks would TELL YOU THE TRUTH.”
Yu also appealed to Elon Musk directly by writing, “I encourage you to take a look at the replies to this tweet. People sticking up for and justifying the fact that someone walked by working journalists and said he hopes we die. Sounds like ‘wishing harm’, does it not?”
Janice really misses the days when lefty journalists were pampered and catered to on Twitter.
You had a rando say something mean to you. It wasn’t right but, so what? The world isn’t going bend over backwards for you at all times.
Welcome to being an adult Janice.
— DefinitelyMaybeLibertarian (@Wats_Up_Danger) January 17, 2023
She later gave her observations on the thread and the abuse journalists face everyday by saying “It’s really sad how many of my fellow journalists deal w/this on a daily basis,” and added, “Some of these replies prove my initial point. Let’s be clear. It’s NEVER ok to wish death on someone. It’s really a shame some people are full of so much hate.”
Observations so far:
1. It's really sad how many of my fellow journalists deal w/this on a daily basis.
2. Some of these replies prove my initial point.
Let's be clear. It's NEVER ok to wish death on someone. It's really a shame some people are full of so much hate. https://t.co/twgTimdFN2— Janice Yu (@JaniceYuNews) January 17, 2023