We’ve Got a Problem, Folks
Look, I’ve been in this game for 20-odd years. I started back in ’98, when the internet was still a baby and newspapers were, like, the only show in town. I’ve seen a lot of changes, but honestly? The state of news today? It’s a mess.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this kid—let’s call him Marcus—tells me, “News is dead.” I laughed in his face. “Kid,” I said, “news isn’t dead. It’s just… kinda lost.” And that’s the truth. It’s not that people don’t care. It’s that they don’t know who to trust anymore.
And can you blame them? I mean, look at the headlines. It’s all sensationalism and clickbait. “Breaking: Man Eats Sandwich!” “Local Woman Surprised to Find She’s Human!” It’s ridiculous. And the worst part? We’re all guilty of it. Me included. There was this one time, back in 2005, I pushed for a headline that was, frankly, a bit over the top. My editor, a woman named Dave—yeah, Dave—she gave me this look. “You’re better than this,” she said. And she was right. But the pressure’s always there. Clicks equal money, and that’s the sad truth.
But Here’s the Thing
It’s not all doom and gloom. There are still good journalists out there, doing good work. I’ve got a friend, let’s call her Lisa, she’s been working on this investigation for months. It’s tough, gritty stuff. The kind of journalism that matters. She told me last Tuesday, over coffee at the place on 5th, “I don’t know if anyone’s gonna read it. But I have to do it.” That’s the spirit. That’s what we need more of.
But it’s hard. The industry’s changing so fast, and not always for the better. I was talking to this guy, a colleague named Dave—yeah, another Dave—he’s been in the game longer than me. He said, “Back in my day, we had standards. We had committment to the truth.” And he’s right. But standards slip. It’s easy to let them. Especially when you’re up against the clock, trying to break a story before everyone else.
And the Audience? They’re Not Helping
I mean, look at social media. It’s a circus. Everyone’s got an opinion, and half of them haven’t even read the article. They just see a headline and go, “Oh, that’s outrageous!” And they share it. And the algorithm loves it. It’s a completley broken system.
I had this argument with my nephew last week. He’s 18, thinks he knows everything. “Aunty,” he said, “you’re just old and out of touch.” I said, “Maybe. But at least I know how to fact-check.” He just rolled his eyes. Kids today, right?
But it’s not just the kids. It’s everyone. We’re all guilty of sharing stuff we haven’t read. Of believing the first thing we see. It’s lazy. And it’s making the problem worse.
So What’s the Solution?
I wish I knew. I really do. I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. And honestly? I’m not sure there is one. But here’s what I do know: we need to start valuing good journalism again. We need to support the people who are out there, doing the hard work. And we need to stop sharing stuff we haven’t read.
And look, I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s not. But it’s necessary. We owe it to ourselves, to our democracy, to the truth. We owe it to the people who are actually trying to make a difference.
I was talking to Lisa again the other day. She’s still working on that investigation. It’s taking longer than she thought. “It’s tough,” she said. “But someone’s gotta do it.” And she’s right. Someone’s gotta do it. And that someone should be us.
So, yeah. The news is broken. But it’s not dead. Not yet. And it’s up to us to fix it. To support it. To value it. Because without it, we’re just a bunch of people shouting into the void. And that’s not a world I want to live in.
And look, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. But it’s gotta be done. So let’s do it. Let’s start valuing the truth again. Let’s start supporting the people who are out there, trying to make a difference. Because the news matters. It matters alot. And it’s up to us to save it.
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Anyway, that’s enough from me. I’m gonna go have a lie down. All this truth-telling is exhausting.
About the Author: I’m Sarah, senior editor at Sheffield Sun. I’ve been in this game for 20+ years, and I’ve seen it all. Well, not all. But a lot. I’m opinionated, I’m flawed, and I’m not afraid to say what I think. Because someone’s gotta do it.
