Look, Let’s Be Honest
I’ve been in this game for 22 years. That’s right, 22. I started back in 1999, when the internet was still a toddler and newspapers were still a thing. I’ve seen it all, folks. And let me tell you, the news cycle is more broken than a vending machine that just swallowed your last quid.
I’m Marcus, by the way. Well, not really. Let’s call me Marcus for the sake of this article. I’m a senior editor at a major publication, and I’ve seen the industry evolve— or devolve, depending on how you look at it.
It all started going downhill around 2008, I think. Maybe it was 2007. Honestly, dates blur together after a while. But that’s when the 24-hour news cycle really kicked into overdrive. And it’s been a never-ending circus ever since.
Breaking News: It’s Breaking Our Brains
Remember when ‘breaking news’ was actually, you know, important? A plane crash, a natural disaster, a major political event? Now, it’s like every other tweet from some random celebrity is ‘breaking news.’ It’s completley absurd.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this kid—let’s call him Dave—told me, ‘Marcus, we need to cover everything. Our audience expects it.’ I said, ‘Dave, our audience is a bunch of algorithms and click-hungry bots. They don’t expect anything. They just want to be fed more content so they can keep scrolling.’
And that’s the problem. We’re not informing anymore. We’re just entertaining. And it’s making us all stupid.
Take, for example, the whole ‘real estate market news update’ frenzy. Every time there’s a slight dip or rise in the market, it’s treated like the apocalypse. I mean, come on. It’s a market. It fluctuates. It’s what markets do. But no, we have to blow it out of proportion because, well, sensationalism sells.
Speaking of which, have you checked out the real estate market news update lately? It’s a mess. But that’s a story for another time.
Social Media: The Great Equalizer (and Degrader)
Social media has democratized news, which sounds great in theory. But in practice, it’s a disaster. Now, every man and his dog can be a ‘journalist.’ And honestly, some of them are better than the so-called ‘professionals’ out there.
But the real issue is the algorithms. They’re designed to keep you engaged, not informed. So, they push the most sensational, polarizing content. And we, as an industry, have played right into it.
I remember talking to a colleague named Sarah over coffee at the place on 5th. She said, ‘Marcus, we have to play the game. If we don’t, someone else will.’ I said, ‘Sarah, we’re not playing a game. We’re supposed to be informing the public. We’re supposed to be holding power to account.’
But no, we’re too busy chasing clicks and likes. It’s pathetic.
A Personal Anecdote: The Time I Almost Quit
About three months ago, I was working on a story about a local councilor’s shady dealings. It was a big deal, or at least it should have been. But our editors were more concerned about a celebrity gossip piece that was going viral.
I was so frustrated, I told my editor, ‘Look, this is important. People need to know about this.’ He said, ‘Marcus, it’s not gonna drive traffic. We need to focus on what’s popular.’
I was so close to walking out right then and there. But I didn’t. I stayed, and I fought. And eventually, we ran the story. But it was a battle, and it shouldn’t have been.
The Future: It’s Not All Doom and Gloom
Now, I’m not saying all hope is lost. There are still some great journalists out there doing amazing work. But they’re fighting against a system that’s stacked against them.
We need to change the way we consume news. We need to demand better. And we, as journalists, need to stop being complicit in this madness.
It’s gonna be a tough road. But it’s a fight worth having. Because at the end of the day, journalism matters. It’s the fourth estate. It’s what keeps our democracy alive.
So, let’s get our act together. Let’s start reporting the news, not the noise.
About the Author: Marcus has been a senior editor for over two decades. He’s seen the industry evolve and devolve, and he’s not afraid to call out the problems he sees. When he’s not fighting the good fight, he can be found arguing about football with his equally opinionated wife.
