We’re drowning in news, and it’s not even good news
Look, I’ve been in this game for over two decades. I started back in ’99, when the internet was still kinda new and we actually had to fact-check things. Now? Now it’s just a mess. A big, ugly, never-ending mess. And frankly, I’m tired.
I remember when news was something you got at 6pm or 11pm. That was it. Now it’s 24/7. It’s on your phone, your laptop, your smart fridge probably. And it’s not making us smarter. It’s making us dumber. More anxious. More divided.
Just last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin (which, by the way, was way too hot and way too crowded). There was this guy, let’s call him Marcus, who kept saying, “But we need to be informed!” And I get that. I do. But at what cost, Marcus? At what cost?
Breaking news isn’t always good news
Here’s the thing: breaking news used to be for stuff that actually mattered. A president getting shot. A war starting. A natural disaster. Now? It’s about a celeb getting a new haircut or some politician saying something stupid on Twitter. And don’t even get me started on the weather alerts. I don’t need to know there’s a thunderstorm 12 towns over, thanks.
I was talking to a colleague named Dave about this. He said, “But people want to know what’s happening.” And I said, “Yeah, but they don’t need to know everything that’s happening. They just need to know the important stuff.” He looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe I am. But I think I’ve got a point.
And look, I’m not saying we should go back to the days of one newspaper a day. That ship has sailed. But we need to find a middle ground. Somewhere between “here’s every detail of every story” and “here’s a summary of what happened in the world today.”
Social media is making it worse
Oh, social media. Where do I even start? It’s like the wild west out there. No rules, no consequences, just a bunch of people yelling at each other. And the news? It’s right in the middle of it. Getting shared, getting twisted, getting taken out of context. It’s a mess.
I was at this panel discussion about three months ago. Some reporter was going on and on about how social media is the future of news. I raised my hand and said, “The future? It’s the present. And it’s a disaster.” The room went silent. Then someone in the back yelled, “Amen, sister!”
I mean, look at the way news spreads on social media. It’s like a game of telephone. By the time it gets to the end, it’s completely different than when it started. And people believe it. They share it. They argue about it. It’s insane.
And don’t even get me started on the algorithms. They’re feeding us more of what we already believe. It’s like they’re saying, “Oh, you like this? Here’s more of it. And more. And more.” It’s making us more divided, not less.
But what can we do about it?
So, what’s the solution? I wish I had a good answer. I really do. But I think it starts with us. The consumers. The readers. The people who are tired of the noise and the nonsense.
We need to be more critical. More discerning. We need to ask questions. We need to fact-check. We need to think for ourselves. And we need to demand better from the news outlets.
I was talking to my friend Lisa about this the other day. She said, “But how? There’s so much information out there. It’s overwhelming.” And I said, “I know. But we can’t just take it at face value. We need to dig deeper. We need to look for sources. We need to think critically.” She sighed and said, “That sounds like a lot of work.” Yeah, it is. But it’s necessary.
And look, I’m not saying we should all become journalists. But we should all be informed consumers of news. We should know where our news is coming from. We should know who’s behind it. We should know what their agenda is. And we should be able to spot trending topics popular discussions from actual news.
A tangent: The weather is also breaking news now?
Okay, I know I said I wouldn’t go off on tangents, but this is something that’s been bugging me. Why is the weather breaking news? I mean, I get it. If there’s a hurricane or a blizzard or something, that’s important. But the day-to-day weather? Really? It’s like the news outlets are saying, “Look, we don’t have any real news, so here’s the weather.”
I was watching the news last night (yes, I still watch the news, I’m old like that) and they had a whole segment on the weather. And it wasn’t even bad weather. It was just… weather. And I thought, “This is what we’ve come to?” It’s ridiculous.
Back to the point
Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah. The news cycle. It’s broken. And it’s making us all crazy. But we can fix it. We can demand better. We can be more critical. We can think for ourselves. It’s not gonna be easy. But it’s necessary.
And look, I’m not saying I have all the answers. I don’t. But I know this: the current system isn’t working. And it’s not gonna get better unless we make it better.
So, let’s start there. Let’s demand better. Let’s be better. Let’s fix this mess.
About the Author: Sarah Jenkins has been a senior editor at various publications for over 20 years. She’s seen the news industry evolve (or devolve, depending on who you ask) and isn’t afraid to share her opinions. When she’s not editing, she’s probably complaining about the weather or arguing with people on the internet.
In an era dominated by digital communication, an editor shares insights on social media’s evolving role in shaping current events and journalism.
As fashion weeks conclude worldwide, industry experts weigh in on the most significant trends; discover what truly matters in 2023 and what may fade.
