We’re All Just Making It Up as We Go
Look, I’ve been in this game for 23 years. Started as a beat reporter in Manchester, moved to London, now I’m editing a bloody website. And let me tell you, the news is a mess. It’s not just the algorithms or the clickbait or the fact that we’re all basically just shouting into the void. It’s deeper than that.
I remember back in ’99, when I was just some kid with a notepad, my editor—let’s call him Marcus—told me, “Liz, news is about telling people what they need to know, not what they wanna hear.” Which… yeah. Fair enough. But now? Now it’s all about the engagement metrics, the shares, the bloody comments section.
And don’t even get me started on the 24-hour news cycle. It’s like we’re all stuck on a hamster wheel, running faster and faster, but never actually going anywhere. I mean, honestly, who needs 24-hour coverage of a minor celebrity scandal? Nobody. But here we are.
When Did We Stop Caring About Facts?
Okay, so last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin (yes, I know, fancy, right?), and I was talking to this journalist named Dave. Dave’s been in the biz for about as long as I have, and he said something that kinda stuck with me. He said, “Liz, we’ve become so obsessed with being first that we’ve forgotten how to be right.”
Which… ouch. But also, true. I mean, how many times have you seen a headline that’s just completely wrong? Or a story that’s been completely misrepresented? It’s like we’ve all just given up on accuracy in favor of speed. And it’s not just the big outlets, either. It’s everyone. It’s all of us.
I remember this one time, back in 2005, I was working at the Guardian, and we had this big scoop on some political scandal. But we held off on publishing until we could verify all the facts. And you know what? Nobody complained. Nobody said, “Why weren’t you first?” Because back then, people actually cared about getting it right.
But now? Now it’s all about being first. And frankly, it’s exhausting.
And What About the Comments Section?
Oh, the comments section. The bane of every journalist’s existence. I mean, honestly, who are these people? And why do they feel the need to share their uninformed opinions with the world? It’s like they think they’re doing us a favor or something.
I was talking to my friend Sarah about this the other day. Sarah’s a journalist too, been working at the BBC for about a decade. And she said, “Liz, the comments section is just a reflection of society. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s full of people who think they know everything.”
Which… yeah. Fair point. But that doesn’t make it any less annoying. I mean, honestly, who has the time to read through 214 comments on a story about a local council meeting? Nobody. But yet, here we are, scrolling through them, reading every single one, like we’re somehow obligated to.
And don’t even get me started on the trolls. I mean, honestly, who are these people? And why do they feel the need to be so bloody rude? It’s like they think they’re somehow making a difference by being a jerk in the comments section. Spoiler alert: they’re not.
But It’s Not All Bad, Honestly
Okay, so the news is a mess. And the comments section is a nightmare. But it’s not all bad. I mean, honestly, there are some amazing journalists out there doing some truly incredible work. And we should be celebrating them, not tearing them down.
I was at this panel discussion a few months back, and there was this journalist there—let’s call her Emma—who was talking about her experience covering the refugee crisis. And honestly, it was just… it was powerful. I mean, here was this woman, risking her life to tell the stories of people who otherwise wouldn’t be heard. And she was doing it not for the fame or the glory, but because she believed in the power of journalism to make a difference.
And that, my friends, is what journalism should be about. It’s not about the clicks or the shares or the engagement metrics. It’s about telling the stories that need to be told, even if they’re difficult or uncomfortable or unpopular. It’s about holding the powerful to account, even when they don’t want to be held accountable. It’s about giving a voice to the voiceless, even when nobody else will.
And honestly, that’s what keeps me going. That’s what keeps me getting up in the morning and doing this job, even when it feels like the world is against me. Because at the end of the day, journalism matters. And we owe it to the world to do it right.
But What Can We Do About It?
Okay, so the news is broken. And honestly, I’m not sure we can fix it. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. So here are a few thoughts, just from me, Liz, your friendly neighborhood journalist.
First of all, we need to slow down. I mean, honestly, who cares if we’re not the first to break a story? What’s the rush? Let’s take the time to get it right, to verify our facts, to talk to the people who are actually affected by whatever it is we’re reporting on. Because at the end of the day, that’s what journalism is supposed to be about: telling the truth, not just being first.
And speaking of telling the truth, we need to stop pretending that we’re objective. I mean, honestly, who are we kidding? Of course, we have biases. Of course, we have opinions. And that’s okay. But we need to be upfront about them. We need to be transparent about our process, about our sources, about our motivations. Because if we’re not, then we’re just another part of the problem.
And finally, we need to start valuing quality over quantity. I mean, honestly, who cares if we’re publishing 50 stories a day? What’s the point? Let’s focus on the stories that matter, the stories that have an impact, the stories that actually make a difference. Because at the end of the day, that’s what journalism is supposed to be about: making a difference, not just filling up space.
And look, I know it’s not easy. I know it’s hard to go against the grain, to swim upstream, to do things differently than everyone else. But honestly, who cares? If we’re not willing to do the hard things, then what’s the point? Might as well just give up now.
But What About the Future?
Okay, so the news is broken. And honestly, I’m not sure we can fix it. But that doesn’t mean we should give up. Because at the end of the day, journalism matters. And we owe it to the world to do it right.
And who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll look back on this time and laugh. Maybe one day, we’ll look back on this time and say, “Remember when the news was a mess? Remember when we were all just making it up as we went along? Good times.”
But until then, we’ve got work to do. So let’s get to it.
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About the Author
Liz Thompson has been a journalist for 23 years, starting as a beat reporter in Manchester and now editing a website. She’s seen it all and has strong opinions about the state of news today. When she’s not complaining about the comments section, she can be found drinking too much coffee and pretending to understand SEO.
