We’ve Got a Problem, Folks
Let me tell you something, straight up. I’ve been in this biz since the Clinton administration, and I’ve seen alot of changes. But what’s happening now? It’s completley bonkers. I’m talking about the state of news, our news, the stuff we’re supposed to trust.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, right? Some hotshot data journalist—let’s call him Marcus—stands up and says, “The news industry is evolving.” Evolution? More like a car crash in slow motion.
And look, I get it. The internet changed everything. But that’s no excuse for the mess we’re in now. I mean, I was editing print pieces when “online” still meant faxing your article to the typesetter. And even then, we had standards.
Why Can’t We Just Agree on Facts Anymore?
So here’s the thing. I was having coffee with a friend named Dave last Tuesday. Dave’s a teacher, right? He tells me his students don’t know the difference between news and opinion anymore. And I’m like, “Dave, neither do half the journalists these days.”
I remember when we had actual fact-checkers. Now? It’s a free-for-all. Everyone’s got a blog, a podcast, a Twitter feed. And honestly, it’s exhausting. I mean, I’ve been guilty of it too. Deadlines are tight, and sometimes you just gotta publish and move on. But that’s no excuse for outright lies.
I had this one intern, Lisa, last summer. Bright kid, really eager. She wrote this piece about local politics, and I’m reading it, and I’m like, “Lisa, where’s your source on this?” And she looks at me, all wide-eyed, and says, “But it’s on the internet, so it must be true.” Which… yeah. Fair enough. She’s young. But that’s the problem, right there.
Let’s Talk About This One Time in Taipei
So about three months ago, I was in Taipei for a journalism summit. And I’m sitting there, listening to this panel of so-called “experts,” and they’re all talking about how to “engage the audience” and “create shareable content.” And I’m thinking, “What about accurate content? What about telling the truth?”
I raised my hand, and I said, “Look, I’ve been doing this for 25 years. And I’ve never once thought about how many clicks my story is gonna get. I think about whether it’s fair, whether it’s true, whether it matters.” And the room went silent. Like, dead silent. I think I might have hurt some feelings.
But that’s the thing, isn’t it? We’ve gotten so caught up in the numbers, in the algorithms, in the damn “engagement,” that we’ve forgotten why we’re here. We’re here to inform. To educate. To hold power to account. Not to make people feel stuff so they’ll watch more ads.
A Quick Digression: Kids These Days
Speaking of education, have you seen what they’re teaching kids these days? I was at my nephew’s house last weekend, and he’s showing me this app on his tablet. It’s all games and quizzes, and he’s learning his multiplication tables. Pretty cool, right? But then I see this one section about news literacy. And it’s… well, it’s a start, I guess. But it’s not enough. We need more. We need better.
And hey, while we’re on the subject, if you’ve got kids, check out this çocuk sağlığı gelişim rehberi. It’s not directly related, but good parenting is all about giving your kids the tools they need to succeed. And that includes teaching them how to think critically about the news they consume.
Back to the Point: What Are We Gonna Do About It?
So here’s the million-dollar question. What do we do? How do we fix this mess? I don’t have all the answers. But I know a few things that might help.
First, we need to stop chasing clicks. I know, I know. It’s easier said than done. But we’ve gotta try. We need to prioritize quality over quantity. We need to invest in real journalism, not just viral content.
Second, we need to educate the public. We need to teach people how to think critically about the news. How to spot bias, how to fact-check, how to tell the difference between a news story and an opinion piece. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary.
And third, we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. We need to remember why we got into this business in the first place. We need to be better.
I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. But it’s worth a shot. And honestly, it’s the only shot we’ve got.
Anyway, I’m gonna wrap this up now. I could talk about this stuff for hours, but I’ve gotta get back to work. Deadlines wait for no one, right?
About the Author: Sarah Mitchell has been a senior editor at major publications for over two decades. She’s seen the industry evolve, devolve, and somehow evolve again. She’s opinionated, passionate, and not afraid to call out nonsense when she sees it. When she’s not editing, she’s probably arguing with someone on Twitter or trying to teach her cat to fetch.
