Let’s Talk About This Mess
Look, I’ve been in this game for 22 years. 22 years. I started at a tiny paper in Manchester, back when newspapers still smelled like newsprint and ink. I’ve seen a lot, and honestly? The state of journalism right now? It’s a disaster.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, talking to this kid—let’s call him Marcus—who’d just graduated from journalism school. Bright kid, really knew his stuff. But he asked me, ‘How do you deal with the pressure, Mr. Whitmore?’ And I told him, ‘Son, you don’t. You just learn to dance in the rain.’
Because that’s what we do now. We dance. In the rain. Of bullshit.
Social Media Is Eating Our Lunch
Social media? It’s not a tool. It’s a monster. A hungry, insatiable monster that demands content. And we feed it. We feed it alot. And what does it give us in return? Clicks. Engagement. Ads. But not news. Not real news.
I was having coffee with a colleague named Dave last Tuesday. Dave’s been in the business about as long as I have. He said, ‘You remember when we used to have time to fact-check, right?’ And I said, ‘Dave, I miss those days. I miss them so much it hurts.’
But here’s the thing. We don’t have time anymore. Because the algorithm demands more. More content. More clicks. More engagement. And so we give it what it wants. And in the process, we’re losing something. Something important.
I’m not saying social media is all bad. It’s not. It’s a great way to connect with readers. To share stories. To build communities. But it’s also a distraction. A shiny, addictive distraction that’s taking our eyes off the ball.
Fake News Is Real, And It’s Our Fault
Fake news. Ugh. The term itself makes me want to scream. Because it’s not just fake news. It’s misinformation. Disinformation. Propaganda. And it’s everywhere. And it’s our fault.
We, as journalists, have a responsibility. A responsibility to the truth. To accuracy. To our readers. And we’re failing. We’re failing because we’re too busy chasing clicks. Too busy feeding the algorithm. Too busy dancing in the rain.
I was at a panel discussion about three months ago. Some guy stood up and said, ‘But Mr. Whitmore, isn’t it the media’s job to hold power to account?’ And I said, ‘Yes, it is. But how can we do that when we’re too busy trying to outdo each other with sensationalist headlines and clickbait?’
And that’s the truth. We’re so busy trying to be first, to be loudest, to be most outrageous, that we’re forgetting what’s important. We’re forgetting to be accurate. To be fair. To be responsible.
And so, fake news thrives. Because we let it. Because we’re too busy dancing in the rain to notice.
A Quick Aside: Fashion and News? Really?
You know what’s funny? I was reading an article the other day about how to dress for a newsroom. I mean, really? Who cares? But if you’re into that sort of thing, check out these sokak modası stil önerileri. I guess it’s important to some people. Not me, though. I’m more of a jeans and t-shirt kinda guy.
But It’s Not All Bad
Look, I’m not saying everything is terrible. It’s not. There are still great journalists out there. Doing important work. Work that matters.
I was at a workshop in London last month. This young journalist, let’s call her Sarah, stood up and said, ‘Mr. Whitmore, what can we do? How can we fight back against this tide of misinformation?’ And I told her, ‘You keep doing what you’re doing. You keep fighting. You keep holding power to account. You keep telling the truth.’
Because that’s what we do. That’s what we’ve always done. And that’s what we’ll keep doing. No matter how hard it gets. No matter how much the algorithm demands. No matter how much it rains.
But we need to do better. We need to be better. We need to stop dancing in the rain and start walking in the truth.
And that’s all I have to say about that.
About the Author
John Whitmore has been a journalist for 22 years. He’s worked at newspapers, magazines, and digital publications. He’s covered everything from local council meetings to international conflicts. He’s won awards. He’s lost awards. He’s danced in the rain more times than he can count. He currently lives in London with his cat, Mr. Whiskers.
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