Fledgling gangland news fills niche neglected by other media

Dozens of gangland videographers in the US are risking their lives to provide a voice for communities routinely ignored by mainstream media. 

One of them is Shawn Cotton, who wears a bulletproof vest and carries a gun, in order to interview street gangs and rappers in high-crime areas, before posting the video on YouTube.

The 28-year-old quit his $7-an-hour job at a Texas big-box store six years ago and has gone on to achieve financial success interviewing street-gang members and rappers in high-crime neighbourhoods across the US, then posting the videos on his popular YouTube channel.

Cotton, who travels nationwide but considers Texas home, speaks about the risks: getting caught in the crossfire of warring gangs during interviews, or inviting the wrath of gangs who believe the reporters favour hated rivals. 

Young gang members, eager to ascend a gang’s hierarchy, might shoot producers, not out of anger, but merely for the status that killing VIPs can confer. 

Site creators exchange intel on which gangs have it out for what gangland reporters. 

TRT World's Philip Owira reports.

Other top channels in the genre include Chicago World News, HoodVlogs in Los Angeles and Detroit's CharlieBo313. When it comes to his channel, Cotton said, his subscribers often dictate where he travels, encouraging him to cover specific gangs or rappers locked in escalating disputes.

Reports often show members waving guns and cash, or flashing rival gang signs upside down — a recognised indication of disdain.

Glorifying gang life?

Critics say the channels glorify gang life and provide a platform — alongside other social media — for gangs to taunt each other, thus stoking violence.

"If you are making gangs look cool, you're recruiting more people to join gangs," says Mike Knox, a former Houston gang-unit police officer.

Defenders say the channels fill a neglected news niche, telling important human-interest stories that aren't a priority for traditional media and telling them from places where those outlets are often afraid to go.

"What Zack provided was a platform where (those on the streets thought), 'I can be myself, I can cuss, I can tell you how I feel ... and it ain't gonna be censored,'" says Rodney Phillips, an ex-gang member who works for Chicago anti-violence groups. 

"He was showing the unadulterated truth."

YouTube pays a fraction of a penny per video view for ads on YouTube-based sites. Channels like Cotton's, which has over 400,000 subscribers and a million monthly views, can generate over $15,000 a month.