Dave Jorgenson, once known as the “Washington Post’s TikTok guy,” has successfully transitioned from a high-profile corporate journalist to a self-made media entrepreneur. After leaving the Post to co-found Local News International, many wondered if he could maintain his relevance and reach outside the shelter of a major news institution. A year later, the answer is a resounding yes. His company is not only profitable but continues to grow its massive digital footprint, boasting hundreds of thousands of subscribers across YouTube and TikTok. This success is a testament to his ability to adapt traditional journalistic integrity to the fast-paced, personality-driven demands of modern social media.
Central to Jorgenson’s success is his unique approach to combating misinformation: humor. In a media landscape saturated with hostility and division, Jorgenson uses comedy to disarm viewers rather than alienate them. By positioning himself as the “butt of the joke” or the person who is equally confused by a complex issue, he creates a sense of empathy. He believes that people are less likely to double down on false beliefs if they don’t feel condescended to, noting that humor makes learning feel less like a lecture and more like a conversation. This strategy allows him to unpack everything from conspiracy theories to current events with a relatability that standard news reporting often lacks.
Transitioning from a staffer to a business owner brought new challenges, particularly the need to balance the creative “making” of content with the logistical “business” of running a company. Jorgenson credits his former Post colleagues, Micah Gelman and Lauren Saks, for helping manage the technicalities of corporate structure and consulting. This partnership allowed him to avoid the “manager trap”—a common career path in traditional newsrooms where talented creators are pushed into administrative roles, effectively removing them from the creative process. By maintaining his independence, Jorgenson has preserved his time for the craft he loves while building a sustainable revenue stream through both content creation and consulting for other newsrooms.
Jorgenson is careful to distinguish his work from that of other online influencers. While his delivery is lighthearted, his process remains anchored in rigorous fact-checking and traditional journalism. He views the creator space as a spectrum, noting that while many social media stars act as “aggregators,” he brings the discipline of a traditional education to the table. This transparency is key to how he builds trust with his audience; he is upfront about the fact that he is a journalist using humor as a tool, not a comedian attempting to pass off opinion as news. This clarity is essential for viewers trying to navigate the crowded and often deceptive waters of modern social media.
Looking ahead, Jorgenson is expanding his reach with a new long-form series focused on untangling misinformation. This project represents an evolution for his brand, moving beyond bite-sized vertical videos to more substantive, deep-dive content. He envisions this project on platforms beyond social media, potentially streaming on networks that would allow for a broader audience. By inviting viewers to participate—perhaps through voicemails or listener questions—he hopes to create an interactive experience that addresses the “I’m too afraid to ask” nature of current news, turning the daunting process of information consumption into an accessible and engaging format.
Reflecting on his departure from the Washington Post, Jorgenson expresses gratitude for the experimental environment the paper provided him, even as he critiques the shifting priorities of legacy media. If he were to write a letter to Jeff Bezos today, he would emphasize that the innovative, agile work he is doing now is exactly what legacy news organizations should be prioritizing to survive. His final advice to others looking to strike out on their own is simple: reach out. The path to independent journalism is daunting, but he insists that the community of creators is more collaborative than competitive. By choosing to build his own path, Jorgenson has proven that the future of journalism may lie not in the halls of major institutions, but in the hands of those who can bridge the gap between hard facts and human connection.