It’s all going to hell in a handbasket
Look, I’ve been around the block a few times. I started out as a cub reporter in 1998, back when we still used typewriters (kinda). I’ve seen a lot of changes, but nothing like what’s happening now. The news cycle is broken, and honestly? I’m not sure we can fix it.
I remember sitting in the newsroom at the old Daily Chronicle with my editor, let’s call him Marcus, back in 2005. We were talking about how the internet was gonna change everything. He laughed and said, ‘It’s just gonna be alot of noise, Sarah.’
Oh, how right he was. But it’s more than that. It’s not just noise. It’s a cacophony of misinformation, sensationalism, and outright lies. And it’s getting worse.
Breaking news is broken
Let me tell you about last Tuesday. I was having coffee with a friend, let’s call him Dave, at the place on 5th. He showed me a news alert on his phone. ‘Breaking news,’ it said, ‘Local man wins lottery twice in one week!’
Now, I’m not saying that’s not news. But is it breaking news? I mean, really? It’s like the news outlets have forgotten what ‘breaking’ actually means. It’s everything and nothing all at once.
And don’t even get me started on the 24-hour news cycle. It’s like a dog chasing its tail. They need to fill airtime, so they keep talking about the same thing over and over again until we’re all completley sick of it. I remember watching a news channel last year, and they spent 36 hours talking about a minor political scandal. 36 hours! It was like watching a car crash in slow motion.
Social media is the new front page
I had a conversation with a colleague named Lisa about three months ago. We were talking about how social media has changed the news game. She said, ‘It’s not about the news anymore. It’s about the clicks.’
And she’s right. It’s all about the algorithms. The more outrageous the headline, the more clicks it gets. The more clicks it gets, the more money they make. It’s a vicious cycle, and it’s killing journalism.
I saw this firsthand when I was working on a story about a local school board meeting. It was a big deal, lots of controversy. I wrote a balanced, factual piece. But the news outlet I was working for at the time wanted me to sensationalize it. They wanted me to write a headline that said, ‘School Board in Chaos: Teachers and Parents at Each Other’s Throats!’
I refused. I said, ‘That’s not what happened.’ But they didn’t care. They wanted the clicks. So I left. I couldn’t be a part of that anymore.
But there’s hope
Now, I’m not saying it’s all doom and gloom. There are still good journalists out there, doing good work. But they’re fighting an uphill battle.
I’ve started to see a shift, though. People are getting tired of the noise. They’re looking for reliable sources of information. They’re looking for news that’s actually news. And that’s a good thing.
I talked to a friend of mine, let’s call her Emma, about this. She’s a teacher, and she’s been trying to teach her students how to discern between real news and fake news. She told me, ‘It’s getting harder and harder. But it’s also making them more critical thinkers.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
And look, I’m not saying we should all become hermits and stop consuming news altogether. But we need to be more discerning. We need to seek out reliable sources. We need to think critically about what we’re reading and watching.
Oh, and if you’re looking for a way to stay fit while you’re at it, check out these fitness workout routines beginners. I mean, why not, right?
A tangent: the weather is also news?
I swear, sometimes I think the news outlets are just making stuff up as they go along. I was watching the news the other day, and they had a segment on the weather. Not just the forecast, but an actual segment. They had a meteorologist talking about how the weather was gonna be ‘interesting’ over the next few days.
Interesting? What does that even mean? It’s either gonna rain or it’s not. It’s either gonna be hot or it’s not. Why do we need a segment on that? It’s like they’re trying to fill time with anything they can.
I mean, I get it. They need to fill airtime. But come on. The weather? Really?
Back to the point
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, the news cycle is broken. But it’s not all bad. There are still good journalists out there, doing good work. And people are starting to care more about where they get their news.
So, what can we do? We can be more discerning. We can seek out reliable sources. We can think critically about what we’re consuming. And we can support the journalists who are doing good work.
It’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna take a committment from all of us. But it’s possible. And it’s necessary.
I’m not sure what the future holds for journalism. But I know one thing: it’s gonna be a bumpy ride. And I’m gonna be here, writing about it, for as long as they’ll have me.
Oh, and if you’re looking for a way to stay fit while you’re at it, check out these fitness workout routines beginners. I mean, why not, right?
About the Author: Sarah Johnson is a senior editor with over 20 years of experience in the journalism industry. She’s worked for various publications, from small local newspapers to national magazines. She’s seen it all, and she’s not afraid to tell it like it is. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking, reading, or complaining about the state of the news cycle.
