Weber calls TikTok-era news 'a catastrophe' and defends written journalism

Jonathan Weber criticized the rise of social-video platforms and their effects on public political culture during a Commonwealth Club conversation.

Asked about platforms such as TikTok, Weber said the shift from words to short videos has harmed civic comprehension and journalistic depth. "It's a catastrophe," he said, and added, "I'm a word guy," stressing his preference for written reporting as a way to convey complexity. Weber suggested that in-person events and live journalism—conferences, talks and public forums—help provide accountability and resist the spread of deepfakes and generative misinformation.

Weber's critique was part of a broader conversation about the media's changing role in the city, which he said has seen a decline in volume and institutional capacity compared with past decades. He described the local media ecosystem as smaller than in earlier eras but still relatively strong compared with many other cities.