Honestly, I’m Tired
Let me tell you something, folks. I’ve been in this game for 22 years. That’s right, since the days of dial-up and fax machines. I’ve seen a lot, and frankly, the state of news today makes me wanna scream into a pillow.
I’m Sarah, by the way. Sarah Whitmore. You might’ve seen my byline in places like The Atlantic, The Guardian, or that time I ghostwrote for a celebrity who shall remain nameless (looking at you, Marcus).
Anyway, the news is broken. And it’s not just the algorithms or the clickbait or the fact that we’re all gonna die in a fire. It’s us. We broke it. We, the people who consume it, who share it, who demand it be free and fast and easy.
But First, a Story
Last Tuesday, I was at this conference in Austin. Yeah, I know, another one. But this one was different. There was this panel, right? All these bigwigs talking about the future of journalism. And I’m sitting there, munching on my free vegan snacks, thinking, ‘Oh boy, here we go.’
And then this guy, let’s call him Dave, stands up. Dave’s a data journalist, works for some big name outlet. He says, ‘The news is fine. We’re just giving people what they want.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough. But that’s the problem, isn’t it? We’re giving people what they want, not what they need. It’s like feeding a kid only candy. Sure, they’ll eat it, but they’re gonna have a sugar crash later.
Look, I Get It
I mean, I really do. I’ve been there. That time in 2008 when I was at the New York Times, and we were all scrambling to figure out this new ‘internet’ thing. We were so scared of missing out, we’d publish anything. And the readers? They lapped it up.
But now? It’s worse. It’s not just the big outlets. It’s everyone. Your cousin’s friend’s sister who runs a blog about her cat. They’re all in the game, and they’re all chasing the same thing: attention.
And the news? It’s suffering for it. It’s becoming this weird, bloated beast that’s part entertainment, part politics, and part ‘oh my god, did you see what that celebrity did now?’
But There’s Hope
Okay, maybe hope is a strong word. But there are people out there trying to fix it. Like my friend Lisa. She runs this tiny outlet in Portland. They do one thing: local news. Real, actual news. Not gossip, not rumors, just facts.
I asked her, ‘Lisa, how are you making it work?’ She said, ‘We’re not. Not really. But we’re trying. We’re trying to give people what they need, not what they want.’
And that’s the thing, isn’t it? We need to stop chasing the algorithm. We need to stop worrying about the clicks and the shares and the ‘viral’ content. We need to just… report. The news.
A Quick Digression: Driving and News
You know what else is broken? Driving. I don’t know about you, but I’m always nervous when I’m on the road. That’s why I always check out sürüş ipuçları güvenlik rehberi before I hit the road. It’s like a safety net, you know? Just a quick read to make sure I’m not gonna kill myself or anyone else.
But back to the news. I mean, it’s not like driving, but it kinda is. You gotta pay attention, you gotta follow the rules, and you gotta make sure you’re not gonna crash and burn.
So What Do We Do?
I don’t know, honestly. I wish I had some big, grand solution. But I don’t. All I know is that we need to start demanding better. From ourselves, from the outlets, from everyone.
We need to stop sharing that clickbait. We need to stop reading the gossip. We need to start reading the real news. The stuff that matters. The stuff that’s gonna inform us, not just entertain us.
And maybe, just maybe, the news won’t be so broken anymore.
But probably not. I mean, look at us. We’re the same people who think pineapple belongs on pizza. We’re not exactly known for our good decisions.
Anyway, that’s my rant. I’m gonna go eat some ice cream now. Maybe watch some cat videos. You know, the important stuff.
About the Author: Sarah Whitmore is a senior editor with over 22 years of experience in journalism. She’s worked for major publications and has a love-hate relationship with the news. She currently lives in Portland with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and her collection of vintage typewriters.
