Let’s Talk About This Mess
Okay, so I’ve been in this game for a while. Twenty-odd years, give or take. And let me tell you, the state of news these days? It’s a complete shambles. I’m not just talking about the obvious stuff—fake news, clickbait, all that. I’m talking about the deeper, more insidious problems that nobody wants to address.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and I remember sitting there, listening to some big-shot editor talk about how they’re ‘innovating’ and ‘disrupting’ the news industry. And I’m thinking, ‘Mate, you’re not disrupting anything. You’re just making it worse.’
Look, I get it. The internet changed everything. Advertising revenue is down. People don’t read long-form articles anymore. But honestly, that’s not an excuse for the garbage we’re seeing out there. I mean, I saw a headline the other day that said, ‘You Won’t Believe What Happened Next!’ And I thought, ‘No, I won’t, because I’m not clicking on that.’
Quality Control? What’s That?
Let’s talk about quality control. Or rather, the lack thereof. I was editing a piece last Tuesday, and I swear, it was like pulling teeth. The writer had clearly not bothered to fact-check anything. I mean, they spelled ‘acquisition’ wrong, for starters. And don’t even get me started on the grammar. It was a complete mess.
I called up a colleague named Dave, who’s been in the business even longer than I have. I said, ‘Dave, what’s going on here? Is it just me, or is the quality of journalism completely in the toilet?’ And he said, ‘No, it’s not just you. It’s everyone. The standards have dropped, and nobody cares.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough. I mean, when you’ve got outlets publishing stuff like ’10 Celebrities You Won’t Believe Are Still Alive,’ it’s hard to take anything seriously.
But Here’s the Thing
And here’s the thing. It’s not all bad. There are still some great journalists out there doing amazing work. I was having coffee with a friend last week, and she told me about this incredible investigative piece she read. It was long, it was detailed, it was well-researched. And it was on a website that, frankly, I wouldn’t normally associate with quality journalism.
So, what’s the difference? Commitment. The writer was committed to telling the story, no matter how long it took. They didn’t cut corners. They didn’t rush it. They didn’t sacrifice accuracy for the sake of a quick buck.
And that’s what we need more of. We need journalists who are willing to put in the time and the effort to get it right. We need editors who aren’t afraid to say no to clickbait and yes to quality. We need publishers who understand that their audience isn’t stupid and won’t respond well to being treated like they are.
And What About the Audience?
Speaking of the audience, let’s talk about them for a minute. I mean, honestly, what are we doing here? We’re feeding them garbage, and they’re eating it up. And it’s not just the audience’s fault. It’s ours too. We’re the ones putting the garbage out there in the first place.
I was talking to a friend of mine, let’s call him Marcus, about this the other day. He’s a journalist, but he’s also a consumer of news. And he said, ‘Look, I get it. The news is a business. But at the end of the day, we’re still talking about people’s lives here. We can’t just throw accuracy and integrity out the window for the sake of a few extra clicks.’
And he’s right. We can’t. But the question is, how do we fix it? How do we get back to a place where quality journalism is the norm, not the exception?
What Can We Do?
Well, for starters, we can stop pretending that everything is fine. We can admit that there’s a problem and start working on solutions. And yes, that means actually investing in journalism again. It means paying writers a living wage. It means giving them the time and the resources they need to do their jobs properly.
It also means being honest with our audience. We need to stop treating them like they’re idiots and start giving them the information they need to make informed decisions. And that means providing context, providing background, providing analysis. It means going beyond the headlines and actually explaining what’s going on in the world.
And look, I know this isn’t easy. I know there are a lot of pressures out there. But at the end of the day, we have a responsibility to our audience. We have a responsibility to the truth. And if we’re not willing to live up to that responsibility, then maybe we should find another line of work.
A Quick Digression
Oh, and while we’re on the subject, let’s talk about the state of international news coverage. It’s a mess. I mean, I was reading an article the other day about the latest developments in Turkey, and it was like the writer had no idea what they were talking about. They were using terms like ‘güncel haberler son gelişmeler bugün’ without any context or explanation. And I’m thinking, ‘Mate, if you’re gonna use a foreign phrase, at least tell us what it means.’ (By the way, if you’re interested in güncel haberler son gelişmeler bugün, you should definitely check out this site. It’s got some great coverage.)
But I digress. The point is, we need to do better. We need to be better. And if we’re not willing to put in the effort, then we don’t deserve to be in this business.
So, that’s my rant. That’s my take on the state of news today. It’s not pretty, but it’s the truth. And honestly, I think we could all use a little more truth in our lives.
About the Author: Sarah Mitchell has been a senior editor at various major publications for over 20 years. She’s seen the industry evolve, devolve, and somehow evolve again. When she’s not complaining about the state of journalism, she can be found drinking too much coffee and yelling at her cat.
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