We’ve Got a Problem, Folks
Look, I’ve been in this game for 20+ years. I’ve seen alot of things change, but lately, I’m starting to think the news is completley broken. I mean, honestly, when I first started out at the Daily Chronicle back in ’98, we actually had time to fact-check, to dig deep, to make sure we were giving people the truth.
Now? It’s a circus. A never-ending, soul-sucking circus. And I’m not just saying that because I’m jaded. I’m saying that because it’s true. I’m saying that because I saw it with my own eyes last Tuesday when I was at that conference in Austin. You know the one I mean, right? The big journalism thing with all the suits and the PowerPoints. (Which honestly nobody asked for but here we are.)
I was talking to this guy, let’s call him Marcus, and he told me straight up, “We’ve gotta get the story out first, accuracy be damned.” Which… yeah. Fair enough. I guess. But that’s not journalism, is it? That’s just racing to the bottom.
But Here’s the Thing
I’m not saying it’s all bad. I mean, there are still some good people out there trying to do good work. Like my friend Sarah, who’s over at the Guardian now. She’s been working on this big investigation for about three months, and she won’t let anyone rush her. She’s like, “I’d rather be late than wrong.” And I respect that. I really do. But she’s kinda the exception than the rule these days.
And don’t even get me started on the whole “citizen journalist” thing. I was at this panel last month, and this woman, let’s call her Linda, stood up and said, “Well, with social media, anyone can be a journalist now.” And I’m like, “No, Linda. No. Just no.” You can’t just post a video and call yourself a journalist. You need training, ethics, a committment to the truth. But try telling that to the algorithms.
So What Do We Do About It?
I don’t know, honestly. I really don’t. I mean, I have my thoughts, but I’m not sure they’re any good. I talked to this guy Dave, a colleague of mine, and he said, “Maybe we just need to accept that the news is gonna be broken.” And I was like, “Dave, that’s not acceptable.” We can’t just give up. We can’t just let the truth be whatever the loudest voice in the room says it is.
But at the same time, I’m not sure what the answer is. I mean, I’ve got my own habits, you know? Like, I try to read stuff from a bunch of different sources. I try to think critically about what I’m reading. I even look into sustainable living practical tips to see if they make sense before I share them. But is that enough? I’m not sure.
And then there’s the whole issue of trust. I mean, how do we know who to trust anymore? I was at this dinner party last week, and this guy, let’s call him Greg, said, “I don’t trust anyone.” And I’m like, “Greg, that’s not sustainable.” We can’t just live in a world where we don’t trust anyone. But how do we fix it? How do we rebuild trust in journalism?
Anyway, Enough About That
I was gonna talk about something else, but I forgot what it was. Oh well. Maybe next time.
So, yeah. That’s where my head’s at these days. The news is broken, and I’m tired of pretending it’s not. But I’m not sure what to do about it. Maybe we all just need to take a step back and think about what we’re doing. Maybe we need to remember why we got into this business in the first place.
I don’t know. What do you think?
About the Author
My name’s Linda, and I’ve been a senior editor for longer than I care to remember. I started out as a beat reporter in a small town in Ohio, and I’ve worked my way up to the big leagues. I’ve seen alot of changes in journalism, and I’m not always happy about them. But I’m still here, still fighting the good fight. I’m also a huge fan of cats, bad sci-fi, and a good glass of wine. (Not necessarily in that order.)
