‘Fierce defender of truth’: US media critic Eric Boehlert dies at 57 following cycling accident

Journalist Eric Boehlert, a tenacious journalist whose commentary cut through right-wing media bias, was fatally struck by a train in New Jersey while bicycling. He was 57.

His career included stints as a music journalist at Rolling Stone and Billboard and as an uncompromising media watchdog as a staff writer for Salon and senior fellow at Media Matters for America.

He also founded the website Press Run, dedicated to the “unfiltered, passionate, and proudly progressive critique of the political press in the age of Trump”, and authored the 2006 book Lapdogs: How the Press Rolled Over for Bush.

Boehlert was riding his bike in Montclair, New Jersey, where he lived with his wife and two children when a NJ Transit train fatally struck him on 4 April around 10pm.

His wife Tracy Breslin told The New York Daily News that “as much as he was a fierce defender of truth ... he was the kindest, coolest guy.”

“Eric was filled with vibrant enthusiasms and interests in life as a loving husband, father, sibling, uncle and friend,” according to a family statement.

“Through his journalism, social media, books, and appearances on CNN and MSNBC, Eric was a fierce defender of democracy, social justice and truth in media,” the statement reads. “He was fearless and brilliant in his investigation of hypocrisies and double standards in the media, and his contribution was priceless.”

A statement from Salon called his death “a huge loss to media criticism and progressive journalism.”

A statement from Media Matters reads, in part, “we are better for having known and worked with such a thoughtful, fearless and passionate media critic.”

“It was always a treat when Eric would visit the DC office; while he was direct and unsparing on social media, he was equally as warm, inspiring, and helpful to his colleagues,” the statement said.

Broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien remembered him as “a fierce and fearless defender of the truth.”

“Eric was an amazing friend. He fought to rescue journalism and democracy, which need saving,” she said.

Former US Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic nominee for president Hillary Clinton said she is “devastated for his family and friends and will miss his critical work to counteract misinformation and media bias. What a loss.”

In his work, Boehlert scrutinised both right-wing broadcasters and mainstream media outlets for their failings against critical issues, arguing on Press Run that “we can’t fix America if we don’t fix the press.”

“When a radical White House player is eagerly chipping away at our freedoms and the Constitution, we need the press to stand up to the unprecedented challenge at hand – a press corps that doesn’t wallow in ‘Both Sides’ journalism as a way to escape the wrath from Republicans,” he wrote in February 2020.

NJ Transit Police confirmed to The Independent that the agency is leading an investigation.

The agency previously reported that a train on the Montclair Boonton Line struck and killed an adult male on a bicycle on Monday night before reaching the Watchung Avenue station between its 8.59pm departure from Hoboken and scheduled arrival in Hackettstown at 11.07pm.