Kalamazoo’s ‘Local’ News Scandal Exposed: Phantom Publisher Reaches Nationwide

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A supposed local news newsletter in Kalamazoo, called Daily Kalamazoo, has come under scrutiny for its lack of authenticity and apparent connection to an expansive network of similar ‘local’ sites across the country. The operation is linked to an individual claiming to be Matthew Henderson, who asserts he has started these newsletters to make local news more accessible.

In reality, the reported Henderson appears to be a ghost, as investigations reveal he operates under the name Good Daily Inc. from a distance, with no verifiable presence in any of the communities purportedly served by his publications. His newsletter claims to give back 10% of its advertising profits to local organizations, but evidence suggests this promise may be just a façade.

“News avoidance is at an all-time high and distrust in news is too,” said Sue Ellen Christian, a media literacy expert at Western Michigan University, commenting on the ethical implications of such practices. Christian noted findings from a report by the Reuters Institute and University of Oxford, which detail the broader issues posed by fake news sites to public information and civic life.

In the past few months, several Kalamazoo residents reported receiving unsolicited emails from Daily Kalamazoo, raising questions about the legitimacy of the newsletter. These emails contained headlines and summaries gathered from actual local news sources, misleading readers into believing the content was locally produced.

The Daily Kalamazoo website asserts that “thousands of Michiganians start their mornings with” the publication. However, a deeper dive reveals the site lacks links to full stories, raising alarms among media observers. The testimonials featured on the site also repeat across various newsletters from hip-hopping names like “Matthew K.” and “Michael H.” — with minor location tweaks indicating a possible fabrication of reader feedback.

When NowKalamazoo reached out to Henderson (or the individual claiming to be him) via email, he justified the use of interchangeable testimonials for brevity, stating, “We receive lots of testimonials and don’t include them all on our website.” Aaron Snead, vice president of information technology at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, expressed skepticism, suggesting the language of these testimonials indicates they might be generated by artificial intelligence.

Citing cybersecurity concerns, Tier4 Technical Support services manager Lary Holland recommended against providing email information to such sites due to indicators of phishing and spam accumulation which he observed while testing the Daily Kalamazoo site. Holland noted a lack of transparency and a potential for data harvesting, as confirmed by his testing results.

For their part, Henderson and Good Daily Inc. project to bring significance to communities they claim to serve, continuing to expand with newsletters in multiple states. However, as their practices come to light, questions arise as to whether their existence is genuinely aimed at improving local journalism or if it primarily serves to exploit personal data.

As Henderson elaborated on his experiences, he pinpointed feelings of disconnection shared by family members who left his hometown, motivating his venture into local news curation. “After months of refinement, readers started to really like the newsletter,” he described. Yet discrepancies between claimed subscriber numbers and engagement metrics suggest a broader disconnect, raising doubts about the integrity of his operation.

Holland and other cybersecurity experts agree that individuals familiar with digital media should carefully scrutinize where they source their information. “If you don’t want spam, don’t give them your email,” Holland advised. This warning echoes a larger sentiment about the importance of media literacy and discernment in this age of rapidly evolving artificial intelligence technologies.