We’re All Just Making It Up as We Go
Look, I’ve been in this game for 22 years. Let me tell you something: the news is broken. And I don’t mean like, ‘Oh, we need to fix a few things.’ I mean it’s completley busted. Like, beyond repair.
I remember back in ’99, when I was a wet-behind-the-ears reporter for the Scottsdale Gazette, my editor—let’s call him Marcus—told me, ‘Son, the news is just stories people tell each other. Our job is to make sure those stories are straight.’
Yeah, well, Marcus, we failed. Miserably.
Social Media Is Eating Our Lunch
And don’t even get me started on social media. It’s like we’ve handed over the keys to the kingdom to a bunch of 15-year-olds with too much time on their hands. I was having coffee with a friend last Tuesday—let’s call her Sarah—and she told me she gets all her news from Twitter now. I asked her, ‘You mean the place where people argue about whether pineapple belongs on pizza?’ She said, ‘Yeah, what’s the problem?’
Which… yeah. Fair enough. I guess if you’re into that kinda thing.
But here’s the thing: social media is not the problem. We are. We’re the ones who let it happen. We’re the ones who said, ‘Sure, let’s put our journalism in the hands of algorithms designed to make people angry.’
Fake News, Real Consequences
I was at a conference in Austin about three months ago, and a panelist—some big-shot data journalist named Dave—said, ‘Fake news is just a buzzword. It’s always been around.’
Oh, Dave. You naive little snowflake. It’s not just a buzzword. It’s a fucking epidemic. And it’s our fault. We’re the ones who let clickbait become the currency of the realm. We’re the ones who said, ‘Sure, let’s put a paywall on the stuff people actually need to know and give the junk away for free.’
And now look at us. We’re like those old guys on the street corner yelling about the end times. Nobody believes us anymore. And honestly, can you blame them?
Healthcare News? Good Luck With That
Speaking of stuff people actually need to know, let’s talk about healthcare. I mean, good luck finding straight answers these days. It’s like everyone’s just making it up as they go along. If you want to stay informed, you’re gonna need to check healthcare news updates today or something. Because frankly, I’m not sure who to trust anymore.
I had a source—let’s call him Greg—who told me last week that the latest healthcare policy was gonna be a game-changer. (See? I told you I wouldn’t use that word.) I said, ‘Greg, come on. You said the same thing last time.’ And he said, ‘Well, this time it’s different.’
Yeah, yeah. We’ll see about that.
A Quick Digression: The Weather
You know what’s not broken? The weather. I mean, it’s still unpredictable and all that, but at least it’s honest. It’s not trying to sell you something. It’s not trying to manipulate you. It just is.
I wish I could say the same about the news.
Back to the Grind
But hey, what do I know? I’m just some old hack who’s been around the block a few too many times. Maybe the kids on Twitter are onto something. Maybe pineapple does belong on pizza. Maybe fake news is just a figment of my imagination.
Nah. I’m not buying it. And neither should you.
We need to do better. We need to be better. And we need to stop making excuses.
Because honestly, the news is broken. And if we don’t fix it, who will?
About the Author: I’m Jane, a senior magazine editor with 22 years of experience in the trenches of journalism. I’ve seen it all, and honestly, I’m not impressed. I write about the news because someone has to, and frankly, I’m the only one crazy enough to do it. Follow me on Twitter @janetheeditor, or don’t. I won’t judge.
