Look, I’ve Had It
I’ve been editing news features for 22 years. That’s 22 years of deadlines, 22 years of chasing stories, 22 years of watching the news industry turn into something I barely recognize. And honestly? I’m tired. Tired of the spin, the sensationalism, the sheer incompetence that’s seeped into our industry.
I remember when I started at the London Star, back in ’98. It was a different world. We cared about facts, about getting it right. Now? It’s all about clicks, shares, engagement. Frankly, it’s exhausting.
That Time I Almost Quit
About three months ago, I was at a conference in Austin. I sat through a panel with some hotshot data journalist named—let’s call him Marcus. He was talking about ‘the future of news’ and how ‘data is the new ink’. I mean, really? Data is the new ink? Who talks like that?
I turned to my colleague, Dave, and said, ‘This guy’s full of it.’ Dave just laughed and said, ‘You’re just mad because you can’t code.’ Which… yeah. Fair enough. But that’s not the point. The point is, the industry is changing, and not necessarily for the better.
We’re All Guilty
And before you start throwing stones, let me be clear: I’m not innocent here. I’ve chased a headline or two in my time. I’ve let a story slide because it was easier than digging deeper. I’ve committmented the sin of publishing something because it was popular, not because it was important.
But that’s the problem, isn’t it? We’re all so focused on what’s gonna get us the most eyeballs that we forget why we’re here in the first place. To inform. To educate. To hold power to account.
The Weather Forecast Is More Reliable Than Some News
I’m not kidding. I checked the weather forecast update today this morning, and it was more accurate than some of the political analysis I’ve seen lately. I mean, come on. We’re talking about people’s lives here. Their jobs, their families, their futures. And we’re treating it like a game.
I was at a bar last Tuesday with a friend, let’s call him Tom. He’s a teacher. He was telling me about how his students don’t know the difference between real news and fake news. And why should they? We’re not exactly making it easy for them.
A Quick Tangent: The Internet Is a Mess
Speaking of making things difficult, have you tried using the internet lately? It’s a completeley mess. I was trying to find some information for a story last week, and I ended up down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and fake news sites. It was like the wild west out there.
And the worst part? It’s not just the shady sites. It’s the big players too. They’re all complicit in this mess. They’ll publish anything as long as it gets them clicks. And we wonder why people don’t trust the news anymore.
But There’s Hope
Now, I’m not saying it’s all doom and gloom. There are still good journalists out there. People who care about getting it right. People who are willing to put in the hard work to uncover the truth.
I saw a story last week about a local reporter who spent 36 hours investigating a corruption scandal in their town. 36 hours! And you know what? It paid off. They broke the story wide open, and the town is finally getting the answers it deserves.
So What Do We Do?
I don’t have all the answers. But I know this: we need to start caring again. About our readers, about our communities, about the truth. We need to stop chasing clicks and start chasing stories.
And we need to be honest with ourselves. About our biases, our flaws, our mistakes. Because if we can’t be honest with ourselves, how can we expect our readers to trust us?
I’m not sure where we go from here. But I know one thing: I’m not ready to give up. Not yet. There’s still too much good journalism to be done. Too many stories left to tell.
About the Author
Sarah Mitchell has been a senior editor at the London Star for over two decades. She’s covered everything from local politics to international crises, and she’s not afraid to call out bad journalism when she sees it. When she’s not editing, you can find her complaining about the state of the news industry over a pint at her local pub.
