AJ Calloway on the New Media Landscape: “Everyone With a Microphone Shouldn’t Be Amplified”
In an era where anyone with a smartphone and a ring light can call themselves a broadcaster, veteran media personality AJ Calloway is calling for a return to professionalism.
We caught up with the former 106 & Park host on the red carpet at the ABFF Honors, where he shared his unfiltered thoughts on how streaming and podcasting have reshaped, and sometimes distorted, the way we consume information.
When asked about the current state of the industry, Calloway didn’t hold back. “I think that everyone with a microphone shouldn’t be amplified,” he told The Quintessential Gentleman.
While he acknowledges that streaming and podcasting are changing “how everyone takes all their news,” he warns that this democratization comes with a dangerous downside: a lack of vetting.
“What people need to be very, very cautious about is that… Not everybody who’s speaking knows what they’re saying. Or [is] telling the truth,” Calloway explained.
However, he remains optimistic that the tide is turning. “I think the professionals are taking over again, and hopefully more and more of them will step forward,” he said.
Beyond the noise of the media landscape, Calloway touched on the internal battle many Black men face daily. When asked how he protects his mental health while staying informed, he pointed to a deep-seated reality in the Black community.
“Mental health is key, especially now. You know, us as African Americans, you have PTSD waking up,” Calloway shared.
He connected this trauma directly to history, sharing that “we were enslaved people and we stayed in the land that enslaved us,” a unique psychological burden that “no one’s ever done… in the history of mankind.”
“There’s a lot of stuff to unpack there,” he continued, clarifying that it isn’t about self-pity, but reality. “To look like you, to look like me, to be driving anywhere in America… we know what it is.”
Calloway also took a moment to honor the past. When asked who deserves an honorary award, he immediately named Suzanne de Passe, the legendary producer behind Lady Sings the Blues and Mahogany. Although she has already been honored, he says she needs to be honored again.
“She did the first quintessential Black love film. And she needs to be recognized for that,” he said .
Whether discussing the legends of the past or the content creators of the future, Calloway’s message is clear: Respect the craft, speak the truth, and protect your peace.
