I’ve Had It Up to Here
Look, I’ve been in this game for 20-odd years. I’ve seen alot of changes, most of them bad. But lately? It’s like the news industry has completely lost its marbles. And frankly, we’re all to blame. Not just the suits at the top, but us—you and me. We’re the ones clicking, sharing, and feeding this monster.
It started small. A little bias here, a tiny sensationalism there. But now? It’s a full-blown circus. And I’m not just talking about the obvious stuff—Fox News, MSNBC, all that. No, it’s deeper than that. It’s in the way we consume news. It’s in the algorithms that decide what we see. It’s in our own damn brains.
Let Me Tell You About Marcus
About three months ago, I was having coffee with a friend—let’s call him Marcus. He’s a regular guy, works in tech, thinks he’s pretty clued in. So I asked him, “Marcus, where do you get your news?” He looked at me like I was crazy. “Twitter,” he said. Just like that. No hesitation, no shame.
I mean, come on. Twitter? Really? I asked him if he read any actual news sites. He shrugged. “Nah, it’s too much. Twitter gives me the highlights.” Which… yeah. Fair enough. But that’s the problem, isn’t it? We’ve trained ourselves to expect everything in bite-sized chunks. And the news industry? They’re more than happy to oblige.
The Algorithm Is Eating Our Brains
Here’s the thing: the algorithm doesn’t care about truth. It doesn’t care about balance. It cares about one thing—keeping you engaged. And what keeps you engaged? Outrage. Controversy. Drama. So that’s what it feeds you. And we’re lapping it up like it’s the last drop of water in the desert.
I remember talking to a colleague named Dave about this. We were at a conference in Austin, and he was going on about how his newsfeed was just a never-ending stream of doom and gloom. I said, “Dave, you’re not helping. You’re part of the problem.” He looked at me, all defensive. “What am I supposed to do? Ignore the news?”
No, Dave. You’re supposed to think. You’re supposed to question. You’re supposed to seek out different perspectives. But that’s hard work. And in today’s world, hard work is so last century.
We Need to Talk About Money
Let’s be real here. The news industry is in a crisis. Advertisers don’t want to pay for ads on news sites because, well, it’s depressing. So where do they go? Lifestyle blogs. Fashion sites. Anything that makes you feel good about yourself. And the news sites? They’re left scrambling for ways to make money.
I’ve seen it firsthand. I worked at a major publication for years, and the pressure to churn out clickbait was real. “More views, more ads, more money,” they’d say. And you know what? They were right. But at what cost? We sacrificed integrity for aquisition.
And don’t even get me started on the physicaly impossible task of reporting actual news. With budgets slashed and committment to quality journalism out the window, it’s a wonder we have any real news left at all.
But There’s Hope
Look, I’m not saying it’s all doom and gloom. There are still good people out there, fighting the good fight. But they need our help. We need to support them, to share their work, to pay for their content if we can. And we need to be smarter consumers.
For example, have you ever checked out a budget fashion shopping guide? No? Well, maybe you should. It’s not about the news, but it’s about being mindful of where you spend your time and money. And that’s a lesson we all need to learn.
So here’s my challenge to you: be better. Think before you share. Question before you believe. And for the love of all that’s holy, get your news from more than just Twitter.
Oh, and One More Thing
I was gonna end this on a high note, but then I remembered something. Last Tuesday, I was talking to a friend about this very topic. She said, “But what can we do? The system is broken.” And you know what? She’s right. The system is broken. But that doesn’t mean we stop trying to fix it.
So let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work. The news is broken, but it’s not beyond repair. We just need to care enough to make a change.
About the Author
Sarah Jenkins has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years, working with major publications and covering everything from politics to pop culture. She’s opinionated, passionate, and not afraid to call out nonsense when she sees it. When she’s not editing, you can find her complaining about the state of the world over a strong cup of coffee.
