Fake News, Real Consequences: Inside Gary Rockey’s ‘The Journalist’

Author Gary Rockey explores the terrifying power of media manipulation in his novel The Journalist.

Amid rising terrorist threats, the U.S. President’s Media Director fakes a graphic video to incite fear and justify martial law. When it airs as breaking news, local editor Zack Stearn starts asking questions — and uncovers a dangerous conspiracy.

Today, we talk with Gary about fake news, fear, and the unsettling truths behind The Journalist.

What inspired the premise of The Journalist, particularly the idea of a government official creating a fake video to manipulate public perception?

Gary Rockey: “Seeing TV coverage (especially news) of politics/elections inspired the book. For example, no two people see an event the same. One’s beliefs, biases, known or unknown, are implanted early in life and dictate how a person views an event. I.E., what one sees influences perception of reality; the same event, person, or situation covered by two journalists might be reported differently. In television news, the need to be first, get good ratings can affect one’s perception of reality.

“Aware of this, someone might think a fake video would be a good way to manipulate the media and, in doing so, influence others’ perception of reality and allow a power-hungry politician to take advantage of an event as a way to achieve an end. In short, working in a sea of needing-to-be-first can consciously or unconsciously influence the judgment of journalists who perceive an event that is based on their beliefs, biases, known or unknown.

“Summing up, the manipulation of news-by-news reporters who have differing views of reality and the need of television to get good ratings that feeds advertising that enhances revenue and the ‘bottom’ line; combined with a narcissistic egocentric President who believes he has the corner on fixing the world’s problems is checked by a skeptical journalist. Not a few politicians know how to manipulate the media to achieve an end.

How did you research the technical aspects of video fabrication and media dissemination to make the story feel authentic?

“From Providence to Phoenix and many markets in between, I worked in television production/programming for many years. Directed many newscasts in different markets. Also produced TV shows.”

Gary Rockey ‘The Journalist’ book cover

Zack Stearn plays the role of a truth-seeker in a sea of misinformation. Was he inspired by any real-life journalists or whistleblowers?

“Zack is a defrocked priest. As such, you might say seeking the truth is built in. When I wrote it, I had no real-life journalists or whistleblowers in mind.”

The use of a small, local newspaper as the story’s moral compass is compelling. What does that say about the role of independent journalism today?

“Big newspapers and big broadcasting companies are driven by greed/advertising. They answer to money-hungry CEOs, many of whom answer to boards that answer to stockholders. As far as I know, there are few independent television stations that do news. Some independent newspapers publish once a week or a month, answer to themselves. Breaking news is handled by established television and some radio. When you have video of a gruesome event, television’s breaking news feeds on it.”

Martial law and the rise of a ‘new world order’ are huge stakes. How did you balance these big political ideas with character-driven storytelling?

“Witnessing perceived (to me) reality and expressing it through made-up characters, where fiction and nonfiction sometimes get mixed up. Throw in some imagination and given human nature/ some who have an incessant need for power and attention, the story seemed interesting at best.”

How much of the book is meant to be a political thriller, and how much of it is a commentary on the current state of American media and politics?

“It was written around 2003. Turns out it seems relevant given the state of the media and current affairs in the USA in 2025. Bloodsucking politicians who have the need to win at any cost. That famous quote from football coach Vince Lombardi comes to mind: ‘Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.’ You see where that leads in politics and things like nuclear war.”

The fake video is described as particularly gruesome. What were the challenges of writing about such dark material while keeping the reader engaged?

“The perception of reality, groupthink, what the ‘herd’ perceives as reality. The role that ‘race’ plays in motivating actions. Like the song in South Pacific, ‘…you got to be taught to hate and fear… people whose eyes are oddly made, and people whose skin is a different shade….’ Some believe we are past discrimination, but as a whole, we’re ( I think) not. White police officers abusing a black female seemed good material for producing a riot.”

Gary Rockey, photo courtesy of Gary Rockey

Did you face any ethical dilemmas while writing about media manipulation and manufactured violence?

“Not really. The story is based on some events I saw firsthand while working in television broadcasting…the need to be first, ‘winning is the only thing.’ This (I think) may be true of many politicians.”

What kind of reactions or conversations are you hoping the book sparks among readers, especially journalists and media professionals?

“If it looks like a duck, it might not be a duck. Forget ratings (easy to say), go for the truth (whatever that is) as much as you can, realizing one’s own biases. Sometimes it is better to lose. When eyeball to eyeball, negotiating who goes first in a nuclear strike. For example, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the U.S. and Russia. Russia putting atomic missiles in Cuba. After negotiations, Russia backed down and withdrew its missiles, or everything might have been toast.

“In case you didn’t know, AI put it this way: The Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 marked a critical point in U.S.-Soviet relations, bringing both superpowers to the brink of nuclear war. In the aftermath, President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev engaged in negotiations that led to a secret agreement: the Soviets would withdraw their missiles from Cuba in exchange for a U.S. commitment not to invade Cuba and the removal of Jupiter missiles from Turkey. This arrangement aimed to reduce tensions and avoid future confrontations.”

The setting in Miami plays a unique role—why did you choose that city as the backdrop for this national crisis?

“With Zack living on a boat, Miami, surrounded by water, it seemed a good fit. Also, the diversity of the city’s population. Bimini Island, Bermuda Triangle being close, it seemed (ditto) another good fit.”

Were there any plot twists or characters that surprised you as the story evolved?

“Can’t think of any one character or twist. All the characters pretty much took over and allowed me to watch and record. The story evolved by itself.”

Are there plans for a sequel or series continuation? Or do you see The Journalist as a standalone warning shot to our media landscape?

“I hadn’t thought about it as any kind of warning. It’s my experience that media (especially news) doesn’t need or want warnings about itself; they are ‘bullet’ proof. No plans for a sequel.”