Abby Martin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abby Martin
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Martin in 2012
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Abigail Suzanne Martin
September 6, 1984 Oakland, California, U.S.
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| Education | Amador Valley High School |
| Alma mater | San Diego State University (BA) |
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| Spouse(s) | Mike Prysner |
| Children | 2 |
Abigail Suzanne Martin (born September 6, 1984) is an American journalist, TV presenter, and activist. A journalist reports news and current events. An activist works to bring about social or political change. She helped start the website Media Roots, where everyday people can share news. She also helps lead the Media Freedom Foundation, which runs Project Censored. This project highlights important news stories that might not get much attention. Abby Martin has also appeared in and directed several documentary films.
She hosted a TV show called Breaking the Set on the Russian TV network RT America from 2012 to 2015. She became well-known for speaking out against Russia's actions in Crimea while on air. Later, she started The Empire Files, a series that looks into different topics and includes interviews. This show was first on TV and then became a web series. In 2019, she released a film called The Empire Files: Gaza Fights for Freedom.
Contents
Early Life and Interest in News
Abby Martin grew up in Pleasanton, California, and finished high school in 2002. She became interested in journalism after the September 11 attacks in 2001. Her high school boyfriend joined the military, and she started asking "What is really going on?" She wanted to understand events better.
When she was in college at San Diego State University, she began to question how the media presented the Iraq War. She felt that the war was being "sold" to the public. She earned a degree in political science. For a time, she worked as a journalist for an online news site in San Diego.
Media Roots: Citizen Journalism
In 2009, Abby Martin started Media Roots. This organization is a platform for "citizen journalism." This means that ordinary people, not just professional reporters, can share news and information.
As an independent journalist with Media Roots, Abby Martin reported on the Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011. She filmed protests in Oakland, California. Her video footage was later used in a lawsuit involving a former Marine who was injured during a protest. Her videos helped show that the protests were peaceful when the injury happened. RT, a Russian TV network, noticed her work and hired her as a correspondent. In 2010, she moved to Washington, D.C.
Breaking the Set on RT
From 2012 to 2015, Abby Martin hosted her own show, Breaking the Set, on RT America. The show aimed to report facts and look beyond common political ideas. The show's opening even showed Abby Martin hitting a TV with a sledgehammer.
In 2014, Abby Martin gained attention for criticizing RT's own news coverage. While on her show, she spoke out against Russia's military actions in Ukraine. This was a big deal because RT is a network funded by the Russian government. Many people praised her for speaking her mind. RT said that their journalists are free to share their own opinions. However, The New York Times reported that RT told Martin her comments were "not in line with our editorial policy."
Abby Martin left RT in February 2015. She said she had "complete editorial control" over her show. She also said that criticism of RT sometimes made it harder for independent journalists to report freely.
The Empire Files: Investigative Series
In September 2015, Abby Martin launched The Empire Files. This series features interviews and documentaries that investigate different topics. She has interviewed many well-known thinkers and activists.
The show was first shown on Telesur English, a media outlet mainly supported by the government of Venezuela. Abby Martin stated that her show was completely independent from Telesur. She explained that they only sold the content to Telesur, and Telesur had no control over the show's content. In 2018, Telesur stopped funding The Empire Files. This happened because of increasing financial rules placed on Venezuela by the United States.
In August 2018, The Empire Files started relying on donations to continue making new episodes. The show is now a web series, meaning new episodes are uploaded online. In May 2019, her documentary film, The Empire Files: Gaza Fights for Freedom, was released. It explores the conflict in the Gaza Strip. She later made the film available for free on YouTube in May 2021.
Free Speech Lawsuit
In February 2020, Abby Martin was supposed to speak at a conference in Georgia. However, her invitation was canceled. This happened because she refused to sign a pledge not to boycott Israel. A law in Georgia required this pledge.
Abby Martin, with help from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, filed a lawsuit. She argued that the law violated her right to free speech. In May 2021, a judge ruled in her favor. The judge said that Georgia's law went against the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech.
Personal Life
Abby Martin is married to Mike Prysner. He is also a co-producer for The Empire Files. Mike Prysner is a veteran of the Iraq War. Abby Martin and Mike Prysner have two children. Their first child was born in May 2020, and their second child was born in January 2023.
Selected Work
Film
- Earth's Greatest Enemy (2021), director
- Gaza Fights For Freedom (2019), director
- The Choice Is Ours (2016), as herself
- 99%: The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film (2013), co-director
- Project Censored the Movie (2013), as herself
Books
- Martin, Abby. (2011). Framing the Messengers: Junk Food News and News Abuse for Dummies. In Mickey Huff (Ed.) Censored 2012: The Top 25 Censored Stories of 2010–11.
- Martin, Abby. (2011). Media Democracy in Action. In Mickey Huff (Ed.) Censored 2012: The Top 25 Censored Stories of 2010–11.
- Martin, Abby. (2015). The Unheard Story of Hurricane Katrina, Blackwater, White Militias & Community Empowerment: An interview with scott crow and Malik Rahim. In scott crow (Ed.) Emergency Hearts, Molotov Dreams: A scott crow Reader.
- Martin, Abby (2018) Project Censored. Foreword by Abby Martin.
Radio
- Project Censored, KPFA (94.1 FM), co-host
See Also
In Spanish: Abby Martin para niños
