Meghan Markle Blames “Toxicity” Of Journalism For Inability To Truly Find Freedom

Meghan Markle said during a Friday interview that the current “toxicity” of journalism is responsible for a search for salacious gossip rather than truth.

Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, are the subjects of a recently released biography, Finding Freedom, that details the reasons behind the couple’s split from the U.K. and their royal duties. Some claim the couple cooperated with the authors, something they deny.

More from Deadline

• 'Finding Freedom' Excerpts Depict Harry And Meghan Against "The Vipers"

• Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Sue Over Aerial Pics Of Their Son At Home

• Meghan Markle Seeks Court Order Against British Tabloid; David Olusoga To Deliver Edinburgh Keynote; ITV Studios Hires Global Entertainment COO -- Global Briefs

While not speaking directly about the book, she claimed that the current business climate encourages journalists to focus on “something salacious.”

“There is so much toxicity out there in what is being referred to as — my husband and I talk about it often — the economy for attention,” Markle said during the interview. “That is what is monetizable right now. So if you’re just trying to grab someone’s attention, you’re going for something salacious versus what is truthful.”

Speaking with Emily Ramshaw, cofounder and CEO of nonprofit The 19th, Markle also said it was “just devastating” to be in the US during the street protests surrounding the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd during an arrest.

“It was so sad to see where our country was in that moment,” Markle said of the protests. “If there’s any silver lining in that, I would say that in the weeks after the murder of George Floyd, in the peaceful protests that you were seeing, in the voices that were coming out, in the way that people were actually owning their role … it shifted from sadness to a feeling of absolute inspiration, because I can see that the tide is turning.”

The nonprofit group Markle spoke with bills itself as a newsroom that empowers women underserved by the American media. Markle was the keynote speaker at the group’s 2020 summit, which was also held online.

“From my standpoint, it’s not new to see this undercurrent of racism and certainly unconscious bias, but I think to see the changes that are being made right now is really — it’s something I look forward to being a part of,” Markle said. “And being part of using my voice in a way that I haven’t been able to of late.”

Best of Deadline

• U.S. Coronavirus Update: New Cases Break Record 70,000 For The First Time; Infections Up 40% Since Early July

• Coronavirus: Movies That Have Halted Or Delayed Production Amid Outbreak

• Hong Kong Filmart Postponed Due To Coronavirus Fears; Event Moves Two Weeks Before Toronto

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.