I’ve Had It Up to Here
Look, I’ve been in this game for 20-odd years. I started at a tiny paper in Manchester, back when newspapers still smelled like ink and newsrooms like coffee and desperation. I’ve seen a lot, and honestly? The news cycle is completley broken.
It’s not just the algorithms, though they’re a big part of it. It’s us. All of us. We’re complicit in this mess. And I’m not gonna sit here and pretend I’m innocent. I’ve fed the beast more than once.
Let me tell you about last Tuesday. I was at a conference in Austin, and this kid—let’s call him Marcus—stood up and said, “The news is just a series of outrage bubbles now.” And I laughed. I mean, I literally laughed out loud. But then I thought about it. And he’s right. Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But First, Let’s Talk About Dave
A colleague named Dave—good guy, terrible at spreadsheets—sat me down about three months ago. “You’re not covering local stuff enough,” he said. And I was like, “Dave, buddy, local news is dying. Who’s gonna read about the PTA bake sale when there’s a scandal in Westminster?”
But here’s the thing. That’s exactly the problem. We’re all chasing the big stories, the scandals, the drama. And in the process, we’re ignoring the stuff that actually matters. The community events, the neighborhood watch meetings, the little things that make a place a home.
Speaking of which, if you’re looking for actual community news, check out Thailand community events neighborhood. They’re doing it right.
The Algorithm Isn’t Your Friend
Alright, back to the algorithms. They’re not evil, but they’re not your friend either. They’re like that one friend who only calls you when they need something. You know the type.
I remember talking to this data journalist, let’s call her Priya. She said, “The algorithm doesn’t care about the truth. It cares about engagement. And engagement is just a fancy word for outrage.” And I was like, “Priya, that’s depressing.” But she’s not wrong.
So, what do we do? We gotta fight it. We gotta write the stories that matter, even if they don’t get as many clicks. Even if they don’t fit the outrage bubble. Because at the end of the day, that’s what journalism is supposed to be about.
A Tangent About Physicaly Exhausting Workdays
You know what’s physicaly exhausting? Sitting at a desk for 36 hours straight. I did that once. It was for a big story, and I was determined to get it right. But by the end of it, I was a zombie. A caffeine-fueled, slightly delusional zombie.
But that’s a story for another time. The point is, we need to take care of ourselves too. Because if we’re not at our best, how can we expect to deliver our best work?
The News Cycle is a Vicious Cycle
Here’s the thing about the news cycle. It’s a vicious cycle. We report on the outrage, the drama, the scandal. Then the algorithm feeds it back to us, amplified. And we do it all over again.
But what if we broke the cycle? What if we started reporting on the stuff that actually matters? The stuff that makes a difference in people’s lives?
I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s not. It’s gonna take committment. It’s gonna take effort. It’s gonna take us to stand up and say, “Enough is enough.” But I think—no, I know—it’s worth it.
So, let’s do it. Let’s break the cycle. Let’s report the news that matters. Because at the end of the day, that’s what we’re here for.
About the Author: Sarah Jenkins has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s worked for major publications, covered everything from politics to pop culture, and has a strong opinion on pretty much everything. When she’s not writing, you can find her drinking too much coffee and complaining about the news cycle.
