We’ve Got a Problem, Folks
Look, I’ve been in this game for over two decades. I started back in ’98 at a tiny paper in Manchester, and I’ve seen alot change. But lately? Lately, it feels like the news is completley off the rails.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this kid—let’s call him Marcus—told me, “News is just clickbait now.” I laughed it off then. But honestly? He wasn’t wrong.
It’s just… yeah. The way we consume news, the way we produce it, it’s all kinda messed up. And I’m not sure how to fix it. But I know we gotta start talking about it.
Back in My Day
When I started, we had these things called “editors.” You know, actual humans who would read your story and say, “Dave, this is garbage. Rewrite it.” And you’d rewrite it because that’s how you learned. You’d rewrite it, and it’d be better, and maybe, just maybe, it’d run in the paper the next day.
Now? Now it’s all about speed. About being first. About getting those clicks. And don’t even get me started on the algorithms. They’re like that friend who’s always trying to sell you stuff—annoying and never gonna stop.
I remember this one time, back in 2005, we had a story about a local bakery. It was a nice piece, human interest, you know? But the editor—let’s call him Greg—he said, “Sarah, this isn’t gonna get clicks. Rewrite it about the bakery’s financial troubles.” And I was like, “But Greg, that’s not the story.” And he said, “It is now.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. But that’s not journalism. That’s just… I dunno, desperation.
But It’s Not All Bad
Now, I’m not saying it’s all doom and gloom. There are still good people out there doing good work. I mean, look at the investigative pieces that broke the Panama Papers. That was journalism. That was important.
And there are still editors who care. Like my friend Lisa over at the Guardian. She’s been fighting the good fight for years. She told me last Tuesday, “Sarah, we gotta keep pushing. We gotta keep reminding people what real journalism looks like.” And she’s right. We do.
But it’s hard. It’s hard because the world is loud, and it’s hard because people would rather watch a cat video than read a 3,000-word piece on climate change. And it’s hard because, frankly, we’re not making it easy for them.
So What Do We Do?
I don’t know. I honestly don’t. But I think we start by admitting there’s a problem. By saying, “Yeah, we messed up. We got caught up in the clicks and the shares and the algorithms, and we forgot why we do this in the first place.”
And maybe we start paying more attention to places like ilginç bilgiler genel kültür. I know, I know, it’s not a perfect solution. But it’s a start. It’s a reminder that there’s still good stuff out there, if you know where to look.
And maybe we stop trying to be everything to everyone. Maybe we just focus on being good at one thing. On telling one story well. On doing the job right, even if it means we’re not the first to break the news.
I dunno. It’s probably a pipe dream. But it’s worth a shot, right?
Anyway, I’m gonna go have a cup of tea. This whole thing’s given me a headache.
Oh, and One More Thing
I was gonna talk about how social media is ruining everything, but I’m not sure I have the energy. Maybe next time. Or maybe I’ll just rant about it over coffee at the place on 5th. You know, the one with the comfy chairs and the kinda bad Wi-Fi? Yeah, that one.
Anyway. That’s all for now. Thanks for reading, folks.
About the Author
Sarah Jenkins has been a journalist for over 20 years, working at various publications across the UK. She currently serves as a senior editor at a major London-based magazine. When she’s not writing or editing, she can be found complaining about the state of modern journalism or attempting to grow herbs in her tiny apartment. She’s not very good at either.
To understand how media consumption has evolved, consider exploring today’s changing news landscape and its impact on journalism.
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