Let’s Talk About This Mess
Look, I’ve been in this game for 20-odd years. I started back in ’99, when the internet was still a baby and newsrooms smelled like ink and desperation. I’m Sarah, by the way. Sarah Whitmore. You might’ve seen my byline in The Guardian, or maybe that time I got into a Twitter spat with Piers Morgan. (He started it.)
And honestly, the news industry has changed alot since then. Some of it’s good. Some of it’s… well, let’s just say I’ve had better meals than some of the stories I’ve seen published lately.
First, The Good
We’re faster than ever. Back in the day, if a bomb went off in Baghdad, you’d wait for the evening news. Now? It’s on your phone before you can say “Breaking News.” And that’s kinda cool, right?
I remember sitting in a conference in Austin, Texas, about three months ago, and this guy—let’s call him Marcus—he says to me, “Sarah, we’re living in the future.” And I’m like, “Yeah, Marcus, except we’re also living in a dumpster fire.”
Because speed isn’t everything. Not by a long shot.
Now, The Bad
You ever read a news story and think, “This was written by a robot?” No? Just me? Okay, maybe it’s just me.
But seriously, folks, we’ve got a problem. We’re so busy chasing clicks and likes and shares that we’ve forgotten how to actually report. I was having coffee with a colleague named Dave last Tuesday, and he says to me, “Sarah, remember when we used to, I don’t know, fact-check things?”
And I’m like, “Dave, you’re killing me.” But he’s right. We’re not doing our jobs. We’re not holding people accountable. We’re not digging deep. We’re just skimming the surface, looking for the next shiny thing to throw at our audiences.
And don’t even get me started on the whole “fake news” thing. It’s like we’ve given up on truth. It’s like we’ve decided that facts are optional, that opinions are more important than, I don’t know, reality.
And The Ugly
But here’s the thing, folks. We’re not the only ones to blame. You’re to blame too.
Yeah, you. With your tiny attention span and your insatiable appetite for outrage. You want your news fast, and you want it angry. And we’re giving it to you, because that’s what you’re asking for.
I mean, look at the comments section. It’s a sewer. A dumpster fire. A… well, you get the idea. And yet, we can’t stop reading them. We can’t stop feeding the beast.
And that’s why I’m here today, folks. To tell you that we need to do better. That we need to slow down, to think, to question, to care.
Because the news is broken, and we’re all to blame. But that also means we can all be part of the solution.
So What Can We Do?
First, we need to demand better. We need to support quality journalism, even if it’s not always easy or comfortable. We need to read beyond the headlines, to ask questions, to think critically.
And for the love of god, stop sharing stuff on social media without reading it first. You’re better than that. We’re all better than that.
Second, we need to take care of ourselves. Because the news is a tough business, and it’s only getting tougher. We need to remember why we got into this in the first place, and hold onto that. And if you’re feeling burned out, talk to someone. You’re not alone.
And look, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. But it’s worth fighting for. Because the news matters. It shapes our world, our lives, our futures. And we need to get it right.
So let’s do better, folks. For all of us.
Oh, and if you’re looking to vitamin supplements guide benefits, that’s a thing that exists now. I don’t know why I just said that. Moving on.
Anyway, that’s my take. Agree? Disagree? Let’s talk about it. But let’s do it with respect, with empathy, with a commitment to truth. Because that’s what journalism is all about.
And that’s all I’ve got for now. Thanks for reading, folks. It’s been real.
About the Author: Sarah Whitmore is a senior magazine editor with 20+ years of experience writing feature articles for major publications. She’s opinionated, flawed, and always up for a good debate. You can find her on Twitter, where she’s probably arguing with someone about politics or reality TV.
