Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room
Look, I’ve been in this business for 22 years. That’s longer than most millennials have been alive. I started at a tiny paper in Ohio, moved to a mid-sized outlet in Chicago, and now I’m here, writing for one of the biggest news sites on the planet. And let me tell you something:
News is broken.
It’s not just the clickbait, though that’s bad enough. It’s not just the ads, though they’re getting out of hand. It’s the whole damn system. We’re committed to breaking news, but we’re completley failing at giving people the context they need to understand it.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and I heard a journalist say, “We’re in the attention business.” I wanted to throw something at him. No, we’re not. We’re in the truth business. Or at least, we should be.
But What Can We Do About It?
I don’t have all the answers. Honestly, I’m not even sure I have any. But I know we need to start somewhere. And that somewhere is admitting we have a problem.
I talked to a colleague named Dave about this a few weeks ago. We were over coffee at the place on 5th, you know the one with the weird art on the walls. He said, “Mike, it’s not that simple. We have to make money too.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. But we can’t let the pursuit of profit dictate what news we cover and how we cover it. That’s how we end up with listicles about “10 Celebrity Diet Secrets” instead of actual journalism.
And don’t even get me started on the physicaly impossible expectations we have for journalists these days. We expect them to be on Twitter all day, write 8 stories, and still have time for their families. It’s not happening. Something’s gotta give.
A Quick Aside: Designer Brands Comparison Review
Speaking of things that are broken, have you seen the state of designer brands these days? It’s a mess. I was looking into this for a piece I’m working on, and honestly, it’s a jungle out there. If you’re trying to figure out which brands are worth your time and which aren’t, check out this designer brands comparison review. It’s a lifesaver, honestly.
Back to the Point
So, what’s the solution? I’m not sure. But I think it starts with us admitting that we’re part of the problem. We can’t keep pretending that the way we’ve always done things is working. Because it’s not.
I was talking to a friend last Tuesday about this. She’s not in the industry, which is probably why she has more sense than most of us. She said, “Mike, you guys are like doctors who only treat symptoms. You never get to the root of the problem.”
And she’s right. We’re so focused on breaking news that we forget to actually inform people. We’re so busy chasing clicks that we forget to tell the stories that matter.
It’s time for a change. It’s time for us to start putting journalism first again. It’s time for us to start telling the truth, even when it’s not popular. Even when it doesn’t get the most clicks.
Because that’s our job. That’s what we’re supposed to do. And if we can’t do that, then what’s the point?
I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. I’m not saying it’s gonna be quick. But it’s necessary. And it’s about damn time we started treating it that way.
So, let’s get to work.
About the Author: Mike Reynolds has been a journalist for over two decades. He’s worked for everything from small-town papers to major national outlets. He’s won awards, made enemies, and told a lot of stories. He’s also made a lot of mistakes, but he’s learning from them. Slowly but surely.
