The YouTube Show That Reminded Me Why I Fell in Love With Media

“The Sanity Show” on YouTube turns critique into content—and possibly a new kind of influence.

Jul 02, 2025

Full transparency: I’m working with the team behind Sanity, which falls under the Mediaite umbrella.

But let me be clear—this show did more than land on my radar.
It revived something in me.
It’s the reason I’m finally pivoting back to news and my true love - all forms of media.

More on that—and what you can learn from it—below.

Sanity on YouTube

Success online comes when you lean into the topics you’re genuinely passionate about—and when you recognize how you’re uniquely positioned to serve an audience.

I’ll share more of my personal journey on this soon. But for now, let’s talk about Sanity.

This episode was a hit—It resonated.

In this case, the formula clicked—because these hosts are uniquely qualified to talk about traditional media. They're not just offering opinions—they’ve lived it. Plus they discussed the topic with Puck’s Dylan Byers, also formerly CNN.

WATCH:

Mediaite, the umbrella network wrote about the show, which helped lift the numbers but I have another thought…

Have guest ideas? Reach out to hello@oncamready.com

The YouTube Audience Wants Opinion, Not Straight News

The YouTube Audience Wants Opinion, Not Just Straight News

A headline like “CNN’s Fall From Grace” doesn’t just attract attention—it triggers reactions. And those reactions vary widely depending on your generation.

As an old-school millennial, I see that headline and immediately think: “Oh no, what happened now?”
Boomers might respond with disbelief: “How could CNN fall?”
And younger YouTube-first news consumers? They’re cheering: “Finally!”

Why? Because YouTube is home for alternative voices, and opinion—however I am seeing a number of journalists and traditional media shows thrive in the podcast space on YouTube. I still need to evaluate, as this newsletter is currently my first impressions.

The Era of Personality-Driven News

Opinion content on YouTube doesn’t just exist—it thrives. Years of mainstream media being labeled as “fake news” created a trust vacuum. YouTube didn’t just fill that void; it became the place where trust is built in real-time, one episode and one perspective at a time.

Creators—especially journalists who’ve left corporate media—are using this platform to reclaim storytelling on their own terms. And whether the opinion is conservative, progressive, or somewhere in between, the appeal is the same: honesty, access, and personality.

People Don’t Want to Be Talked At. They Want to Be Talked To.

Here’s the truth:
To build KLT—Know, Like, and Trust—you need to decide who your audience really is and speak directly to them.

That means:

Using everyday, familiar language
Delivering opinions with clarity and conviction
Showing up like you're at a dinner party, not a news desk

This conversational style is magnetic—and it drives traffic. You’re not just reporting. You’re relating.

The Real News Isn’t Dead—But It’s Being Repackaged

Journalists are increasingly leaving the constraints of traditional media and thriving in independent spaces. Some bring facts. Others bring flair. But the numbers, I am seeing so far, show one thing clearly: even those who say they want "just the news" often click for the commentary.

The truth? Opinion is sticky. It gets shared. It starts conversations. It makes viewers feel seen—even when they disagree.

My Own Home Is Proof

In 2016, during the presidential race, my kids were 2 and 3. Just from being in the room while I watched the news, they developed “favorites.” One cheered for Hillary. The other was mesmerized by Trump’s on-camera presence.

Now 11, my son still says he likes Trump. Not for policies—he doesn’t know them—but because Trump knew how to perform. That impression stuck.

That’s the power of media. Of voice. Of image.
Even toddlers are influenced. So imagine what your audience is absorbing.

You’re An Influencer—Whether You Claim It or Not

We are all shaping minds. With every post, scroll, and soundbite—we’re setting a tone.

So when a YouTube show like Sanity features legacy media voices reacting to the fall of institutions like CNN, it’s not just clickbait. It’s a mirror—reflecting how far trust has shifted… and where attention now lives.

The Challenge (and Opportunity) Ahead

The real question isn’t just: “How do I get views?”
It’s: How do I keep a connection going—with those who are concerned, and those who are just curious?

Answer that—and you won’t just grow a channel.
You’ll grow a following that trusts you enough to come back.

That’s the future.
And YouTube? It’s the home for it.

If you need help crafting your own YouTube Channel - Reach out! That is what we focus on at (ON CAM) Ready! We help you turn your expertise into content by thinking like a producer.

The Truth Behind Finding my Own Sanity

When Reliable Sources ended, it hit harder than I let myself admit. I had just finished my master's at Harvard and was eyeing a long-term path at CNN—production today, strategy tomorrow, maybe academia down the line.

But when the show was canceled, that version of my dream went with it. I pivoted fast—landing an incredible opportunity at BET producing a live interview with VP Kamala Harris. I was grateful. I kept moving. But deep down, I never really processed the loss.

So I stepped back from cable.
Completely.
From November 2022 to late 2023, I cut CNN, FOX, newspapers, even Twitter.

I stopped watching the news and started living in the spaces everyone else already was: YouTube, Instagram, Facebook. I dabbled in fun content—unboxings, makeup, storytelling. I let myself play for the first time in 20 years. And for a while, I liked being a “civilian.”

But by fall of 2024, something tugged me back—not to the 24/7 news cycle, but to the craft of production. I missed the strategy, the storytelling, and the adrenaline rush of live content.

That’s when I realized I didn’t need a traditional newsroom to do what I love.

So I returned—on my terms.

I launched this newsletter, SOTVO, as a home for highlighting alternative voices and unpacking how new media works.

Now I’m doubling down. I’ve started analyzing YouTube and podcast formats not just for fun, but to help you—the expert, entrepreneur, or creative—think like a producer and build real influence online.

I’m not chasing news anymore.
I’m studying it.
I’m producing it—differently.
And I’m helping others do the same.

This year, I’ll continue coaching clients, teaching on-camera confidence, and developing my new show and podcast, Unknown to Known. There will also be a live show hosted on SUBSTACK… more to come on that.

Because I finally found my sanity—and now, I want to help you find yours.

Oh and while I mention SANTIY - go and SUBSCRIBE to the show!