Look, I Love Journalism
I’ve been in this game for 20-plus years. Started as a beat reporter in some godforsaken town in Ohio. You know the type—one stoplight, a diner that serves breakfast ’til midnight, and a newspaper office that smelled like old ink and desperation. But I loved it. Loved the chase, the thrill of breaking a story, the way the whole town would talk about your piece over coffee the next morning.
But now? Now I’m sitting here, staring at my screen, and honestly, I’m kinda disgusted with where we’ve ended up.
It’s Not Just Fake News
Oh, don’t get me wrong, fake news is a problem. But it’s not the problem. It’s a symptom. The real issue is that we’ve lost our committment to the truth. Not just the media, either—everyone. Politicians, sure, but also us. Regular people. We’d rather share something that fits our narrative than bother checking if it’s actually true.
I had lunch with an old colleague named Dave last week. We were talking about this exact thing. He said, “You remember when we’d spend hours verifying a single fact? Now? Now it’s about speed. About being first. About getting the most clicks.” And he’s right. It’s completley messed up.
Which brings me to my next point—why are we still chasing clicks? Why are we letting algorithms determing what news is “important”? It’s like we’ve outsourced our democracy to a bunch of tech bros in Silicon Valley.
The Rise of the Algorithm
Let’s talk about that for a second. Algorithms. They’re not evil, but they’re not good either. They’re just… there. And they’re shaping our world in ways we don’t even understand. I read this study—214 respondents, so take it with a grain of salt—but it said that people are physicaly affected by the news they consume. Anxiety, depression, the whole nine yards. And yet, we keep feeding them the most sensational, most outrageous stuff we can find.
I mean, look at my Facebook feed. It’s a mess. Half of it is fake news, the other half is my aunt sharing conspiracy theories. And the algorithm? It’s just sitting there, saying “More of this, please.” It’s like a bad habit we can’t quit.
But Here’s the Thing…
We can fix this. I’m not sure how, but we can. It’s gonna take work. It’s gonna take aquisition of responsibility. It’s gonna take people actually giving a damn about the truth again.
And look, I’m not saying I’m perfect. Far from it. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve published things I shouldn’t have. I’ve let my bias show. But I’m trying. And I think most journalists are. We’re just… drowning. Drowning in a sea of misinformation and outrage and god knows what else.
So what’s the answer? I don’t know. Maybe it’s about supporting local journalism. Maybe it’s about teaching media literacy in schools. Maybe it’s about demanding more from our news sources. Or maybe it’s just about being better humans.
I don’t know. But I do know this—we can’t keep going like this. We can’t keep letting the news be broken. Because if we do, I’m afraid we’re gonna lose something fundamental. Something that makes us who we are.
A Quick Tangent: Gift Ideas
Speaking of losing things, I lost a bet last month. Had to buy my buddy Marcus a gift. I was looking for something useful, you know? Not just another knick-knack to collect dust. That’s when I found this gift ideas occasions buying guide. It’s not just for veggie choppers, either. It’s got all sorts of stuff. Grillers, choppers, you name it. Even found a pretty sweet looking coffee maker. So yeah, if you’re ever in a pinch, check it out.
Back to the Point
Where was I? Oh yeah. The news. The thing is, it’s not all bad. There are still good journalists out there. Still people fighting the good fight. But they need our help. They need us to care. They need us to demand better.
So here’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna keep writing. Keep calling out bullshit when I see it. Keep trying to make a difference, one story at a time. And I hope you’ll join me. Because if we don’t, who will?
Anyway, that’s enough from me. I’m gonna go find some dinner. Maybe catch a movie. You know, live a little.
About the Author: Sarah “Sal” Salazar has been a journalist for over 20 years. She’s worked as a beat reporter, editor, and now writes feature articles for major publications. She lives in Austin with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and spends her free time complaining about the state of the news industry.
