Look, I’m Gonna Say It: We’ve Got a Problem
I’ve been editing news for 22 years. That’s 22 years of staring at screens, chasing stories, and trying to make sense of the world. And honestly? I’m tired. Not just physically tired, but tired of the system. The news cycle is broken, and we’re all just pretending it’s not.
Let me take you back to 2003. I was at a conference in Austin, Texas, with a colleague named Dave. We were talking about the future of news. Dave said, “Mark, the internet is gonna change everything.” I laughed. I thought he was being dramatic. Boy, was I wrong.
Back then, we had time. Time to report, time to edit, time to think. Now? Now we’re in this endless cycle of breaking news alerts and hot takes. It’s exhausting.
But Why Am I So Mad About This?
Last Tuesday, I was having coffee with a friend, let’s call him Marcus. He’s a regular guy, not in the industry. He said, “Mark, I don’t know what to believe anymore.” And that’s the problem. The news cycle is moving so fast that we can’t keep up. We’re sacrificing accuracy for speed, and it’s killing journalism.
I remember when we used to fact-check. Like, actually fact-check. Now, it’s all about being first. And that’s completley messed up. I mean, I get it. The pressure is on. But at what cost?
The Algorithm Isn’t Helping
And don’t even get me started on algorithms. They’re feeding us the same stories over and over again. It’s like a never-ending loop of outrage. And we’re all just along for the ride.
I was talking to a source the other day. She told me, “Mark, the algorithm is determining what’s news now.” Which… yeah. Fair enough. But it’s not just that. It’s the way we consume news. We’re scrolling, we’re skimming, we’re barely reading. And that’s a problem.
I think we need to slow down. Take a breath. Think about what we’re putting out there. But how? How do we do that in this environment?
What Can We Do About It?
First, we gotta admit there’s a problem. And I’m not just talking about the big news organizations. I’m talking about all of us. The bloggers, the citizen journalists, the guy posting on Twitter. We all have a role to play.
Second, we need to start valuing quality over quantity. I know, I know. It’s easier said than done. But we gotta try. Maybe that means fewer stories, but better ones. Maybe it means taking the time to fact-check. Maybe it means not chasing every little thing that happens.
And look, I’m not saying we should ignore breaking news. But we need to be smarter about it. We need to think about what we’re putting out there and why. Because honestly, the way things are going, we’re gonna lose the public’s trust completely.
Speaking of breaking news, let’s talk about local news. It’s dying, folks. And that’s a big deal. Local news keeps communities informed, holds local officials accountable, and provides a sense of identity. But with the aquisition of local stations by big corporations, that’s all changing. It’s sad, really. And it’s not gonna get better any time soon.
But hey, let’s talk about something else for a sec. You ever notice how everyone’s always talking about “the algorithm” like it’s this magical thing? It’s not. It’s just math. And it’s not always right. In fact, it’s often wrong. But we treat it like it’s gospel. That’s messed up.
Anyway, back to the point. Local news is important. And we need to find a way to save it. Maybe that means supporting local journalists. Maybe it means pushing for policies that protect local news organizations. I’m not sure. But we gotta do something.
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The Future of News
So, what’s next? I don’t know. I really don’t. But I do know this: we can’t keep going the way we’re going. We need to make a change. And it starts with admitting that the news cycle is broken.
I’m gonna end with this. A few weeks ago, I was at a bar with some friends. We were talking about the state of news. One of them said, “Mark, you’re always so negative about this stuff.” And I said, “I’m not being negative. I’m being realistic.”
And that’s where we are. Being realistic. Because if we’re not, we’re just part of the problem.
About the Author
Mark Stevens has been a senior editor for over two decades, working with major publications and covering everything from politics to technology. He’s a firm believer in the power of journalism to inform and inspire, but he’s also not afraid to call out the industry when it’s messing up. When he’s not editing, you can find him complaining about the state of news on Twitter or trying to teach his cat to fetch.
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