Anecdotal reporting is journalism based on recounting first-person experiences. However, it’s not based on definite, provable fact. It’s subjective, despite usually being reliable. A “fact” is indisputable, like 2+2=4 (with apologies to new math).
The Wall Street Journal’s “Heard on the Street” column was once regarded as the most reliable anecdotal reporting in the news business. HOTS (as it was known by financial types of the 1980s) regularly ran ahead of breaking news in finance. It let readers in on the deepest, darkest whispers among Wall Street traders.
That was before an SEC investigation into the conduct of the HOTS reporter at the time, R. Foster Winans. The SEC indicted him and he was convicted of insider trading and mail fraud. It seems HOTS was being shared by Winans with a friend/trader at Kidder Peabody in advance of the column being published. Winans and friends really did know “tomorrow’s news today.”
They (and he) profited from it. Until they didn’t.
Winans used a novel, but ineffective defense in his trial. While his behavior was admittedly unethical, they claimed it wasn’t illegal. That argument didn’t work. His conviction led to big changes in accountability in financial reporting. The HOTS column still runs in the WSJ, but it’s far more tightly controlled, as are financial reporters industry-wide.
Winans may have had his faults, but he was a wordsmith. He had one of the most descriptive lines ever about getting into the stock markets. “The only reason to invest in the market,” he wrote, “is because you think you know something others don’t.”
Where’s is all of this going? Toward the occasionally reliable source of many people’s news today: social media. And the changes happening in what were once truly open platforms.
The outdoors in general, and shooting sports in particular, are disfavored in mainstream media. The people who own those outlets (they are not public utilities) don’t hesitate to minimize what they don’t like. Unfortunately, the firearms industry was quick to go all-in on social media. From Facebook to YouTube, Instagram and all the other outlets, companies in the industry abandoned longstanding communications and promotion strategies to embrace the shiny new toy.
That infatuation created a new media category: “influencers.” Those influencers learned they could capitalize on their celebrity by attracting even more attention to themselves. Today, neither the influencers or the companies that support them are very happy about the anti-social bent of social media when it comes to them and the products they promote. They’re rediscovering a fact about mass communications — unless you own the distribution vehicle, you’re at the mercy of the people who do.
Recently, Guns.com ran a release here announcing their decision to say goodbye to YouTube, citing “increasing censorship” of their content on the video platform. According to Guns.com, that breakup came after 13 years, 2,000 videos, nearly 400,000 subscribers and over 120 million views.
“Social media giants, including Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, continually impose restrictions on brands and content creators within the firearms industry. YouTube’s policies are more restrictive than others, like Meta; however, the harassment and shadow banning of permissible firearm content are common denominators,” says Guns.com’s release. A June revision of firearms policies created what the company described as “a moving goalpost” and reduced organic reach, caused multiple violations and strikes, and two suspensions spanning nearly a month. All over content that Guns.com says complied with those new policies.
They aren’t pulling down their site, but will no longer post new content. Instead, they’re going to smaller, more “gun friendly” websites and social media channels.
From my chair, there’s only one problem with that. If and when ownership or management changes, there’s nothing to say the policies on those sites won’t change, too. Again…if you don’t control the pipeline, there’s no guarantee you’ll be allowed to pump product through it.
We learned that lesson more than two decades ago. While our background was mainstream media, we chose email as the medium for The Outdoor Wire. That was for two reasons: 1) virtually everyone with internet access already used it, and 2) of all the internet delivery methods, it looked to be the last that was likely to be squeezed by content regulators.
Email had limitations (no video/audio in the early days and apparently unstoppable spam today), but the ability to deliver virtually everywhere meant the limitations would disappear as pipes and software evolved. From our first words-only, twice-weekly newsletter, we’ve evolved to become the Outdoor Wire Digital Network, a dozen very different services delivering content across the whole outdoors landscape in English and Spanish.
In 2024, we added Shooting News Weekly to our offerings. In 2025, we’ll be adding a lot more digital to the Outdoor Wire Digital Network.
We’re creating a new digital platform where outdoor enthusiasts can find all sorts of outdoor content including video, audio, and other emerging technologies.
Many content creators currently facing violations, strikes, suspensions, restrictions and penalties elsewhere will be invited to share their content with our audience. We’ll offer shooting-related content, but not exclusively. We will cover “the outdoors.” Knowledgeable content will be welcome from every area of the outdoors.
It will take time, but we’re creating the “big tent” that invites everyone inside.
This new venture isn’t being created as another revenue stream. Like the Outdoor Wire, it’s because we see a need. I’ve been fortunate to have been involved in some startups in the information business. CNN, The Golf Channel and The Outdoor Wire were hugely successful. Others weren’t. One was successful…until technology made it unnecessary.
We have no illusions of grandeur. YouTube has hundreds of millions of users, incalculable hours of content, and an infinitely scalable infrastructure. We don’t want to become so large that we get the attention of governments. Our goal is to provide reliable content to our existing audience and anyone else wanting more information about the outdoors.
We’ve already spoken with a select group of content creators. They’ll be including existing content and creating new material expressly for OWDN. But we’re not tying anyone to our single new service. And you won’t see everyone, because we still believe in civil discourse.
You’ll be able to watch, listen, or read our material without having to worry about “not suitable for family” content. There are plenty of other places offering that sort of “creativity.”
OWDN will focus on information that’s useful to you. No agendas. No rants.
And no promises some content won’t be there simply because you might enjoy it. After all, the outdoors is where we’re supposed to go to relax and do things we enjoy.
But we will stay true to our original promise: we’ll keep you posted.
Since you’re in MA, another challenging state, keep one eye on the local press and legislation.