One of Right Down Euclid‘s newest staff members is Tony Pesta, who has spent years covering the Cleveland Cavaliers on nearly every corner of the internet! Some of his recent stops include doing social media work for Fear The Sword, breaking down the Cavs from every angle on YouTube and talking about the team on his podcast, The Junkyard Pod.
When we brought Tony on, we wanted to ask him about his feelings about joining Right Down Euclid and his vision of changing the coverage scope all over Cleveland and Northeastern Ohio.
Why is independent journalism important to you?
Independent journalism is more important than ever, in my opinion. Building an independent platform is not only the best way for a reporter to make this a long-term career, as major publications continue to lay off talented writers in favor of cutting costs – but can also provide a better product for the people these stories are meant for.
Grassroots organizations can scratch deeper than the surface and add a sense of authenticity that is more difficult to find from larger publications that rely on other funding methods.
A great deal of responsibility is still required for this form of journalism to work. Yet, it is hard to beat quality independent coverage from reporters who live and love the city they write for when covering local sports or the community itself.
How will you change the scope of coverage in your desired field?
I aim to offer balanced coverage of the Cleveland Cavaliers and shine a light on the city. Cleveland is a beautiful city with underrated people and events that deserve to be shared.
For the Cavs, positivity is my objective. There is enough negativity and over-the-top heated debates on mainstream outlets for anyone seeking it. I prefer highlighting the great things in the NBA and how each player can reach their ceiling — constructive criticism, not hot takes. I plan to break down the film and discuss nuances you might not hear from larger publications.
As for Cleveland, the city is full of untold stories and interesting communities. I aim to cover the many events around the city and the great people behind them.
Why does covering how things are covered in Cleveland drive you to work for and with Right Down Euclid?
Sites such as Right Down Euclid can offer more intimate, personalized coverage of their beats without the restrictions that might come from working in traditional media. There is an opportunity with RDE to cover stories and communities that conglomerates often overlook.
With Right Down Euclid, I don’t have to worry about reaching a certain number of clicks or keeping a corporation happy. My primary focus is covering the stories that the people of Cleveland want to be covered – and their direct support will reflect if I’m succeeding or not.
Tony’s body of work covering the Cleveland Cavaliers can be found online. Some of his recent stops include doing social media work for Fear The Sword, breaking down the Cavs from every angle on YouTube and talking about the team on his podcast, The Junkyard Pod.
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A huge thank you to our community partners Engage! Cleveland, the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, Studio W 117, COSE and many others!
