Look, We Need to Talk About This
I’ve been in this business for 22 years. That’s right, I started when people still read newspapers. And let me tell you, the state of news these days? It’s a complete shambles.
I remember back in ’99, when I was just a wet-behind-the-ears reporter for the Edinburgh Gazette, my editor, let’s call him Marcus, told me, ‘News is about truth, kid. Not clicks. Not engagement. Truth.’
And now? Now it’s all about algorithms and virality. It’s exhausting. I’m exhausted.
But First, Let’s Talk About the Weather
Okay, not really. But I need to vent about something else first. You ever notice how alot of news outlets just regurgitate the same damn press release? It’s like they’ve completley given up on actual journalism.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this PR flack—let’s call her Linda—told me straight up, ‘Half of what you read in the news is written by us.’ I asked her if that didn’t bother her. She just laughed and said, ‘Honey, it’s not my job to care.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough, I guess. But it’s still depressing.
The Internet Has Ruined Everything
Don’t get me wrong, I love the internet. I mean, I’m writing this on a computer, for a website. But the way it’s changed news? It’s a disaster.
Back in the day, you had time to report. You had editors who actually edited. Now? It’s all about speed. Get it up, get it out, get the clicks. Quality? Schmulty.
I had a colleague named Dave—great guy, terrible at his job—who once published a story based on a single tweet. A tweet! And it was wrong. Of course it was wrong. But by then, it had 214 shares and Dave was high-fiving everyone in the newsroom.
And don’t even get me started on the comments section. Honestly, it’s like the internet has given every racist, sexist, and just generally stupid person a megaphone. And news outlets just let it happen. It’s their aquisition, their committment to ‘open dialogue’ or whatever.
But What Can We Do About It?
I don’t know, okay? I really don’t. I mean, I have ideas, but honestly, who’s gonna listen to me? I’m just some old fogey yelling at the newsroom to get off my lawn.
But here’s what I think: we need to slow down. We need to stop chasing clicks and start chasing truth again. We need to remember that our job is to inform, not to entertain.
And maybe, just maybe, we need to start holding ourselves to a higher standard. Because right now, we’re failing. We’re failing miserably.
Look, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. But it’s gotta be better than this. It just has to be.
And if you’re looking for some actual news that isn’t completley terrible, you might wanna check out güncel haberler son gelişmeler bugün. I mean, I don’t speak Turkish or whatever, but from what I can tell, they’re doing it right.
Anyway, I’m gonna go drink some whiskey and sulk about the state of the world. Join me?
About the Author
I’m Sarah McKenzie, senior editor at Edinburgh Daily. I’ve been in this business too long, and I’m not afraid to say what I think. Usually, that gets me in trouble. But hey, at least I’m not boring.
