We’re starting a new channel to make sense of the news

Johnny Harris and Max Fisher are launching a new YouTube channel, 'The Bigger Picture with Max Fisher,' at Newpress to provide rigorous, human-centered explainers on complex news topics.

• Max Fisher's 'The Bigger Picture' channel at Newpress will provide rigorous, visually engaging explainers on current events.

• The channel aims to foster deeper understanding and agency by contextualizing news, avoiding outrage and fear-mongering.

• Newpress prioritizes creator-driven journalism, combining human authenticity with institutional credibility to build audience trust.

Newpress is launching a new creator-led YouTube channel called 'The Bigger Picture with Max Fisher,' featuring journalist Max Fisher, who previously worked at Vox, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. The channel aims to offer rigorous, visually engaging explainers to help audiences understand the tumultuous news environment without resorting to outrage or fear-mongering. This initiative builds on a shared philosophy of delivering 'aha moments' through deep, contextual explanations of current events, combining institutional credibility with authentic, relatable human curiosity.

New Channel Launch

• 00:00:00 Johnny Harris announces the launch of a new YouTube channel, 'The Bigger Picture with Max Fisher,' under the Newpress umbrella. Max Fisher, a veteran journalist who previously taught Harris, co-developed the 'map explainer' format at Vox and later became a columnist at 'The New York Times' and author of 'The Chaos Machine.' The new channel will offer rigorous reporting and explanations to help audiences navigate the complex news environment, prioritizing understanding over outrage, and aims to publish more frequently than Harris's existing channel.

Journalism's Evolution

• 00:06:05 Max Fisher reflects on the rapid evolution of journalism over the past decade, noting how a move from traditional newspapers to a website like Vox once felt rebellious, but now even that feels like a form of establishment media. He highlights his generation's quibbles with mainstream media biases, particularly concerning events like the Iraq War, and emphasizes the growing potential of independent media to help people understand a complex and often overwhelming world.

The Explainer Philosophy

• 00:08:34 Max and Johnny share a similar philosophy of 'explainer journalism,' aiming to provide the full, deeper story behind headlines rather than just a list of facts. This approach seeks to give audiences a sense of context and understanding, transforming confusing or upsetting news into empowering 'aha moments.' They both experienced dissatisfaction with traditional explanations that presumed prior knowledge, leading them to develop methods that clarify complex topics for a broader audience.

Visual Storytelling and Trust

• 00:13:46 The power of visual storytelling, especially through animation and maps, is crucial for both Harris and Fisher to convey complex information effectively, stemming from Harris's experience with dyslexia. They emphasize the importance of making voice and visuals 'dance together' to create a choreographed, engaging experience. This approach, combined with the human authenticity and curiosity of individual creators, is seen as vital for building trust in an era of 'artificial authenticity' and information overload, balancing institutional rigor with relatable perspectives.