We’ve Got a Problem, Folks
Look, I’ve been in this game for 22 years. Started as a cub reporter in Glasgow, moved to Edinburgh, and now I’m editing for edinburghdaily.uk. I’ve seen a lot. But honestly? The state of news today? It’s a mess.
Last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin (yes, I travel alot for work), and I heard some stuff that made my blood boil. A colleague named Dave—let’s call him Dave—stood up and said, “We’re not in the business of truth anymore. We’re in the business of clicks.” And the room just… nodded. Like it was normal. It’s not normal.
I mean, I get it. Budgets are tight. Advertisers rule the world. But when did we decide that sensationalism is better than substance? When did we start caring more about engagement rates than actual journalism?
Let Me Tell You About Marcus
About three months ago, I got a call from a guy I’ll call Marcus. He’s a scientist, works at the university here in Edinburgh. He told me about this study he was doing on misinformation. “The news is worse than social media,” he said. “At least on Twitter, people know it’s a dumpster fire. With news, they think they’re getting the truth.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. I asked him what we’re supposed to do about it. He just laughed and said, “Start reporting the news again.” Easy for him to say.
But Here’s the Thing
We can’t just blame the algorithms or the advertisers. We’re part of the problem too. I remember back in 2005, I was working at the Edinburgh Gazette, and we had this big meeting about “going digital.” The editor at the time, a guy named Ian, said, “We can’t let the internet change what we do. We report the facts, and that’s it.” And now look at us. We’re chasing trends, chasing stories that make people angry, make people click. We’re not reporting the facts anymore. We’re reporting the drama.
And don’t even get me started on the comment sections. I had a friend, let’s call her Sarah, who used to moderate comments for a living. She told me, “I quit because I couldn’t take the hate anymore. People are just mean. And the news outlets are feeding into it.”
What Can We Do?
I don’t have all the answers. But I know one thing: we need to start caring again. About the truth, about our readers, about the fact that what we do matters. I mean, look at the state of the world. Climate change, political chaos, and we’re out here writing about celebrity gossip and viral videos.
And sure, people wanna read that stuff. But we gotta balance it out. We gotta give them the tools to make sense of the world. Not just the tools to escape it. I’m not saying we all need to become serious news outlets overnight. But we need to start taking our committment to the truth seriously again.
And look, I’m not saying I’m perfect. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve written headlines that were a bit too sensational. I’ve chased stories that weren’t worth chasing. But I’m trying to do better. And I think we all should be.
So here’s my challenge to you, dear reader: next time you see a headline that’s too good to be true, dig a little deeper. Find a source you trust. And for the love of God, don’t share that viral video without checking the facts first.
And if you’re looking for some tips on how to live a healthier life, check out these weight loss tips healthy methods. (See what I did there? Even in a rant, I can slip in a useful link.)
Anyway, I’m gonna go have a cup of tea and calm down. This stuff gets to me, you know?
About the Author: Jane McMillan has been a journalist for 22 years, working her way up from cub reporter to senior editor. She’s worked in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and beyond, and has seen the industry change in ways she’s not always happy about. When she’s not editing or writing, she’s probably complaining about the state of the world over a strong cup of tea.
