Spotify Shuts Down SDC News One’s ‘Citizen Journalists Radio’; Backlash Follows From Streets to the White House

Spotify Shuts Down SDC News One’s ‘Citizen Journalists Radio’; Backlash Follows From Streets to the White House

By IFS NewsWriters, Staff Reporters

October 20, 2025

NEW YORK — In a move that has sent shockwaves through independent media circles, Spotify has officially canceled SDC News One’s Citizen Journalists Radio, a grassroots radio show built entirely on street commentary and social media-sourced audio from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. 

The cancellation, confirmed late Sunday night, has ignited a firestorm of responses—from praise by media critics to outrage from listeners, citizen contributors, and even political figures.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7nr5lBsJm9EwRqwINDJba6?si=b5QXVCfLRDez_5vOH2frmg

Citizen Journalists Radio - Backlash Follows From Streets

Among the most vocal for citizen journalists radio is Professor Ben Medias, co-founder of the Medias Touch Network, who called for regular citizens journalists to use their video, voices and microphone. The cancellation "an attack on the evolving voice of the people" and vowed to continue the mission of citizen-powered media through new channels.

“Citizen Journalists Radio wasn’t just a show—it was a megaphone for everyday Americans,” said Kenneth Howard Smith, founder of The SDC Institute in a fiery statement on Monday. 

“This was a platform where barbershops, corner stores, protest lines, bedrooms, vehicles, living rooms and kitchen tales became newsrooms. Spotify might have silenced the stream, but they won’t silence the streets. We're already building the next phase—real citizens, real news, and no corporate gatekeepers."

From Sidewalk to Soundwaves

Launched in 2024 by Smith on his SDC TalkRadio platform, with outside distribution by SDC Digital, Citizen Journalists Radio gained rapid popularity for its unfiltered audio clips, often sourced directly from trending TikToks or real-time YouTube livestreams. It gave voice to those often excluded from polished newsrooms: working-class voices, youth perspectives, and on-the-ground reactions to national events.

Segments ranged from spontaneous interviews with striking workers to raw, often emotional reactions from disaster zones, protest sites, and community gatherings. Edited together into a tight, rhythmic radio format, the show created a mosaic of modern America—vulnerable, chaotic, but undeniably authentic.

Spotify, which had licensed the program as part of its push into alternative news content, did not provide a detailed explanation for the sudden removal. A brief press release cited “editorial concerns and platform standards,” sparking speculation that mounting political pressure or corporate risk aversion played a role.

White House Reaction: “Dangerously Undisciplined”

Perhaps most unexpectedly, the cancellation even drew attention from the President of the United States, who commented on the matter during a press briefing on Monday morning that was "off record". When asked about the show’s removal, the President responded with unusually harsh language:

“This so-called ‘citizen journalism’ is dangerously undisciplined. We need facts, not feelings. We’re not going to let viral videos masquerade as verified reporting.”

The President’s remarks behind the doors were immediately criticized by media watchdogs and civil liberties groups, who interpreted them as an attack on free expression and participatory journalism.

Ben Medias responded directly on social media, calling the President’s words “tone-deaf and authoritarian.”

“Calling the people’s voice ‘dangerously undisciplined’ says more about the establishment than it does about the people. Maybe if they listened to the streets, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

What Really Happened Behind the Scenes?

Insiders suggest growing internal tension at Spotify may have played a role. Several episodes of Citizen Journalists Radio had drawn scrutiny for airing unverified claims and politically charged street clips without context. Critics argued that the show blurred the line between journalism and viral spectacle, while supporters saw it as a necessary disruption to sanitized corporate media.

“Spotify took a risk by giving this show a platform,” said one former Spotify content strategist who spoke under condition of anonymity. “But once it started trending in uncomfortable political territory—and the White House started paying attention—they pulled the plug.”

What’s Next for Citizen Media?

Despite the cancellation, the show's producers have signaled plans to relaunch independently. With support from grassroots networks and influencers, a decentralized version of the show is rumored to be in development, potentially using blockchain-based audio platforms or Patreon-backed podcasting networks.

Smith relaunched a new program under the banner of Citizen confirmed Monday that his team is already in talks to host a new version of the program under the Medias Touch Network banner, emphasizing "no filters, no fear, and no corporate leash."

“The people are the press now,” Medias said. “And we’re just getting started.”

A Tipping Point for Journalism?

The fallout over Citizen Journalists Radio has reignited a national debate: Who gets to define journalism in 2025? As traditional institutions struggle with public trust, the cancellation of a people-powered show—however imperfect—has exposed deep tensions between institutional control and democratic expression.

“Citizen Journalists RadioVoices is messy, but so is democracy,” said media analyst Kendra Doss. “What we’re witnessing is a power struggle over narrative—and Spotify just showed which side it’s on.”

Follow sdcog.net for continuing coverage of newspapers from around the world, on digital media, censorship, and the rise of citizen-powered journalism.

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