Look, I’ve been at this for 20+ years
Let me tell you something, folks. The news cycle is completley broken. I’ve been editing for major publications since the Clinton administration, and I’ve never seen it this bad. It’s not just the algorithms, either. It’s us. All of us.
Back in ’98, when I was still wet behind the ears at the Austin Chronicle, we had a saying: “If it bleeds, it leads.” But at least then, we had some kinda committment to the truth. Now? It’s just chaos.
Why can’t we have nice things?
I was at a conference in Austin last Tuesday, and let’s call him Marcus—he’s a data journalist, sharp guy—he told me something that stuck with me. He said, “The news is no longer about informing the public. It’s about engaging them. And that’s a problem.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. I mean, look at the numbers. According to Pew Research, about 71% of people get their news from social media now. 71%! And what do they see? Outrage. Sensationalism. Clickbait.
I’m not saying it’s all bad. Honestly, some of the reporting I see is incredible. But it’s buried under an avalanche of crap. And the algorithms? They’re making it worse. They’re designed to keep us engaged, not informed.
But here’s the thing…
We can’t just blame Facebook or Twitter or whatever. We’ve gotta look at ourselves. I was having coffee with a friend last week—let’s call her Sarah—she’s a teacher, smart as a whip. She told me, “I don’t trust the news anymore. It’s all biased.”
And I get it. I do. But that’s not the point. The point is, we’ve gotta demand better. We’ve gotta stop sharing the outrage and start sharing the facts.
I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s not. But it’s necessary. We’ve gotta hold ourselves and each other accountable. We’ve gotta ask questions. We’ve gotta think critically.
But what can we actually do?
Okay, so here’s the deal. There are some practical steps we can take. First, we gotta diversify our news diet. Don’t just get your news from one source. Read widely. Read deeply. And for the love of god, read slowly.
Second, we gotta support quality journalism. Subscribe to publications that do good work. Pay for their content. And if you can’t afford to pay, share their work. Amplify their voices.
Third, we gotta be better consumers of news. We gotta ask questions. We gotta verify facts. And we gotta be willing to change our minds when we’re wrong.
And look, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. It’s not. But it’s necessary. We’ve gotta take responsibilty for our own information diet. We’ve gotta demand better from ourselves and from the media.
A quick tangent: customer service
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “What does customer service have to do with the news?” But hear me out. Good customer service is about listening. It’s about understanding. It’s about meeting needs. And frankly, the news industry could learn a thing or two from that.
I read this article once—müşteri hizmetleri iyileştirme ipuçları—about improving customer service. And honestly, a lot of those tips apply to journalism too. Listen to your audience. Understand their needs. Meet them where they are.
It’s not rocket science. But it’s something we’ve forgotten in the rush to chase clicks and engagement.
But let’s get back on track…
So, where were we? Oh yeah. The news is broken. And we’re all to blame. But it’s not too late to fix it. It’s not too late to demand better.
I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. It’s not. But it’s necessary. We’ve gotta take responsibilty for our own information diet. We’ve gotta demand better from ourselves and from the media.
And look, I’m not saying I have all the answers. I don’t. But I know this: we can’t keep going like this. We can’t keep letting outrage and sensationalism drive the conversation. We’ve gotta demand better. We’ve gotta hold ourselves and each other accountable.
So, let’s start today. Let’s start by being better consumers of news. Let’s start by supporting quality journalism. Let’s start by demanding better from ourselves and from the media.
Because honestly, we deserve better. And the truth deserves better too.
About the Author: Jane Doe has been a senior editor for major publications for over 20 years. She’s worked at the Austin Chronicle, the Houston Press, and currently serves as the editor-in-chief of a digital news outlet. She’s a staunch advocate for quality journalism and has a deep love for the written word. She also has a cat named Mr. Whiskers and a slightly unhealthy obsession with 90s indie rock.
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