Cheim Goldman of Salem Media Visits RSF, Discusses Grassroots Efforts and the Future of Media

On July 23, 2025, Cheim Goldman, associated with Salem Media, visited the RSF to discuss his ongoing projects and the state of media in the community. Goldman, who describes his approach as “saying the quiet stuff out loud,” shared his vision for grassroots initiatives and the importance of serving the community.

Background and Motivation

Goldman, who moved to the area seven years ago, feels called to serve the community through his various projects. He aims to support others and work with like-minded individuals who want to make a difference and improve the community. Goldman believes in the need for a better election system and lower taxes, and he seeks to find common ground with others who share these goals.

As an East Coast Messianic Jew and dual citizen with Israel, Goldman brings a unique perspective to his work. He emphasizes the importance of being involved in every sphere of life and draws upon his background in media and business to contribute to the community.

Church Voter Guides and the Role of Journalism

Goldman started his efforts with church voter guides for school board elections, but he has since shifted to a more journalistic role. His work is 501c3 compliant and non-partisan, although he notes that some pastors used the guides as an excuse, leading to the project being “off the table.” Goldman believes that politics should not be a religion in the church and questions how to do real journalism in this environment.

Taking Back the Media

Goldman expresses concern about the loss of trust in the media, which he sees as an institution meant to provide accurate information. He believes that the media has become a tool for propaganda, referencing the book “1984” as a warning that has turned into an opportunity to build confusion. He cites Marxism and the neutralization of information from the media as challenges to be addressed.

Goldman acknowledges that change cannot come from top down, as evidenced by the firing of Tucker Carlson. Instead, he believes that “we the people” must work from the bottom up to take back the media. He emphasizes the need to be more agreeable with others and find common ground, particularly in the protection of individual rights.

The Long Game and Free Speech

Goldman notes that the conservative side is often outmatched in terms of funding, as seen in the case of the constitutional abortion issue, where the pro-life side raised only $200,000 compared to the seemingly unlimited funds of the opposing side. He stresses the importance of playing the long game and respecting those who disagree with us.

As part of his efforts to take back the media, Goldman is teaching journalism in District 11, emphasizing the importance of free speech rights above one’s own agenda. He believes that the other side does not share this view.

A New Vision for Media

Goldman proposes a new vision for media centered around “truth,” acknowledging that very few things are objectively true. He argues that the media does not report the truth. For example, is the economy good or bad? Everyone has their own values and interpretations. Consumers rely on the media to provide relevant facts in the proper context, but those pushing extreme ideologies often ignore history.

Goldman points out that advertisers, such as pharmaceutical companies, have realized they can control the media. He notes that “wokeism” is a long game, as evidenced by its presence at college football games, which is not the demographic it targets. He believes that conservative media is controlled by those who are indoctrinated and that the young lack historical context.

Citizen Journalism and The Peak

To combat these challenges, Goldman advocates for citizen journalism and the creation of The Peak as a citizen journalist news outlet. He emphasizes the importance of journalistic ethics, referencing the official code of ethics from the Society of Professional Journalists. He acknowledges that everyone adds their own bias to every story and that the media has defaulted to pushing narratives.

Goldman identifies as a “leave me alone libertarian” who believes in small government, and he sees the current system as “burning down.” He cites the last election, where Trump was labeled as Hitler but no one took action, as an example of the need for citizen journalists to report the truth.

The Peak aims to serve both young and older audiences and has already broken stories, such as the Mayor Yemi issue, which was ignored by local media. Goldman notes that whistleblowers are reaching out to The Peak instead of the big media outlets.

Leaving Salem and Focusing on Podcasts and Schools

Goldman is leaving Salem Media to focus on podcasts and working with schools. He is building a studio and teaching a full journalism curriculum in District 11, allowing students to earn an associate’s degree after two years without debt or indoctrination. The program aims to help students develop a vision, mentor them, and teach ethics, research, critical thinking, and communication skills.

Goldman believes that ideally, every student should take a minimum course in journalism to stay in the middle and understand that they matter, that people care, and that their voice can serve the community before they go to college. He sees this as a way to take back the media and then export the model around the nation and the world.