True crime industry/Crime Junkie call out (Missing in Arizona E4: Ice Cold)

I was interested to hear the host, John Walczak, open with this critique on Today's episode of Missing in Arizona (E4: Ice Cold.) I'm a casual listener of this show, but regardless of anyone's feelings on CJ in particular it was refreshing to hear this on a more mainstream podcast by a bigger company and I hope it continues.

Specifically the host mentions CJ's iHeart award after their plagiarism issues and scandals, while Missing in Arizona is also an iHeart podcast.

(Apologies if below isn't perfect, the official transcript wasn't on the website yet so this is just what my phone did.)

"In the True Crime industry, I see predatory sponges who soak up other people's labor and squeeze out uncredited, derivative works for clout and cash. In the process, they have I suppose created a new genre: half true crime.

Take Crime Junkie, one of the most popular shows in the world. A show that faced repeated allegations of plagiarism. A show that won best crime podcast at this year's iHeart podcast Awards. In 2018, Crime Junkie did an episode on Robert Fisher. Here's some of what they said.

Robert Fisher was off work on April 9, 2001 - false - and spent the day installing attic insulation - false - and got an oil change - false. That evening he took his daughter Brittany to a church event - false - police suspect he used gasoline to help burn down his house - false. It took hours for the house to burn down - false. He frequented strip clubs - false. He had a black lab named Blue - false - who shows up in home videos - false. Mary's Forerunner was wiped clean - false. There wasn't a single fingerprint, hair or fiber on or in it - false. Police found footprints leading from the SUV to a cave - false. Spelunkers searched the cave with robot cameras - false.

I understand that I have the luxury of spending years on a single story. I find details others miss. In this case, I don't blame Arizona reporters the police or the FBI for making mistakes. They worked hard in 2001, and they're too busy wrangling today's chaos to focus full time on the past.

On the other hand, I have no problem calling out entertainers who can't even get basic facts correct, but go on to fame and fortune by freeloading off actual journalists. They are toxic copy-and-pasters who perpetuate myths and pollute case canon. They do tangible harm and they waste your time. You can't solve mysteries with fake clues.

For example, the footprints allegedly found leading from Mary's SUV to a cave. Fascinating if true, but it's not. Why should you care? Well, if I say police found Footprints from the SUV to a cave, but no return tracks, you might think understandably that Robert died by suicide in the cave. His body must be in there somewhere.

But if I say no, that's false, your mind opens up. Maybe he's alive and maybe you'll help us look for him.

The small stuff matters. Details matter."

Thoughts?

***edit: had some time after work to clean up the transcription formatting.