A video editor for New York City's local PIX 11 television station, Joshua Kaitan Lucas, who has been trained by Al Jazeera, has been actively campaigning for Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for the mayoral position in New York.
Lucas's involvement in political activities has raised eyebrows, considering his professional role in a media organization that discourages political engagement among its journalists.
According to The Washington Free Beacon, Lucas, who has been with PIX 11 since May 2024, took to Instagram in June this year, ahead of the Democratic mayoral primary, to rally his followers to vote for Mamdani. He also urged them to exclude former New York governor Andrew Cuomo from their ballots.
"Dont rank Cuomo," Lucas stated in the post, tagging Mamdani. "Cuomo has received seven-figure donations from corporations and MAGA donors."
Lucas's political involvement doesn't stop at social media posts. He has also been featured in Mamdani's promotional materials. The nominee, who currently serves as a New York state assemblyman, shared a photo on August 17 with several canvassers, including Lucas, who was standing right next to him.
PIX 11, although owned by Mission Media, is managed by Nexstar Media Group. Nexstar's code of business conduct, as stated on its website, prohibits political activity among its journalists. "Contacts with government officials, whether direct or indirect, shall at all times be maintained as proper business relationships," the code reads.
"These contacts must never suggest a compromise of objectivity of such persons or cast doubt on the Companys integrity."
Nexstar's commitment to journalistic integrity is further emphasized in a 2022 report, where the company's decision to "codify a policy prohibiting journalists and news personnel from making political contributions or participating in local, state, and national politics" is highlighted.
Lucas's political commentary extends beyond his support for Mamdani. In a YouTube video posted last month, he criticized President Donald Trump's efforts to clean up the streets in Washington, D.C., comparing the treatment of the district's homeless population to the dehumanization of Jews in Nazi Germany. In a Facebook post in July, he predicted a descent into totalitarianism under Trump's leadership and drew parallels between Trump's policies and those of Nazi Germany.
Lucas's political leanings have been consistent over time. After completing his undergraduate degree at Columbia University and a masters from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, he served as a "news fellow" at Al Jazeera, a Qatari propaganda network. His LinkedIn profile details his experience at Al Jazeera, stating, "The majority of my time was spent working in the television news department: functioning in the same capacity as the deputy news editors on the news desk, putting together in-house packages and writing copy for broadcast and assisting the planning team."
The question that arises is whether Lucas's political activities and public statements align with the journalistic standards of objectivity and impartiality upheld by his employer, Nexstar Media Group. His active involvement in political campaigning and his public political commentary seem to contradict the company's policy on political neutrality among its journalists.
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