Look, I’ve Had It
I’m Sarah, by the way. Been editing news for 22 years, give or take. Started at a tiny paper in Oregon, moved to a mid-sized one in Ohio, now I’m here, writing this. And honestly? I’m pissed.
News is a mess. It’s always been a mess, but now? It’s a dumpster fire. And we’re all just standing around, watching it burn, pretending it’s a campfire.
Back in the Day
Remember when news was, I dunno, news? Like, actual information? I do. I was there. It was better. Not perfect, but better.
I remember sitting in a conference in Austin, Texas, back in 2008. A guy named Marcus—let’s call him Marcus—stood up and said, “The internet is gonna change everything.” And we all laughed. Because, look, we were busy. Deadlines, you know?
Then Facebook happened. Then Twitter. Then… well, you know. And suddenly, news wasn’t just news. It was likes. It was shares. It was clicks. It was “viral.” Which, honestly, nobody asked for.
The Problem
So here’s the thing. News outlets, they’re all chasing the same thing. Clicks. Views. Engagement. Whatever you wanna call it. And it’s making us stupid.
I was talking to a colleague named Dave last Tuesday. Over coffee at the place on 5th. He said, “Sarah, we gotta do something. This isn’t working.” And I said, “I know, Dave. I know.” And we both sighed. Because what can you do?
I mean, look at the headlines. “Shocking!” “You Won’t Believe What Happened Next!” “This One Trick…” It’s all garbage. And it’s making us dumb. And it’s making the news dumb.
And don’t even get me started on the comments. Oh, God. The comments. “Fake news!” “She’s a liberal shill!” “He’s a conservative stooge!” It’s like a bad high school debate class exploded all over the internet.
But What Can We Do?
So, what’s the solution? I don’t know. I really don’t. But I do know this: we gotta stop pretending everything’s fine. We gotta stop chasing clicks. We gotta start reporting again.
And, look, I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s not. It’s hard. It’s really hard. But it’s our job. And if we’re not gonna do it, then who is?
I read this article last week about relationship advice communication tips. And it got me thinking. News is a lot like a relationship. You gotta communicate. You gotta listen. You gotta be honest. And you gotta be willing to walk away if it’s not working.
So, maybe that’s it. Maybe we just need to walk away. From the clicks. From the views. From the engagement. And just… report. You know?
But It’s Not All Bad
Look, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are good things happening. There are people out there doing good work. Reporting real news. Telling real stories.
I saw a piece the other day about a small town in Iowa. They were having a problem with their water supply. And the local paper? They covered it. They didn’t sensationalize it. They didn’t make it about themselves. They just reported it. And that’s it.
And that’s what we need more of. More of that. More of the boring, everyday, “just the facts” stuff. Because that’s what news is supposed to be.
A Digression: My Cat
So, my cat, Muffin—don’t ask—she’s 12 years old. And she’s got this thing where she’ll just stare at me. For hours. And I’ll say, “Muffin, what are you doing?” And she’ll just keep staring. And I’ll say, “Muffin, stop it. You’re creeping me out.” And she’ll just keep staring.
And I swear, sometimes, when I’m reading the news, it’s like that. Like the news is just staring at me. Waiting for me to react. Waiting for me to click. Waiting for me to share. And I’m just sitting there, going, “News, stop it. You’re creeping me out.”
Back to the Point
So, yeah. The news is broken. And I’m tired of pretending it’s not. And I’m tired of chasing clicks. And I’m tired of the comments. And I’m tired of the sensationalism.
But I’m not tired of reporting. I’m not tired of telling stories. I’m not tired of the truth.
So, maybe that’s the answer. Maybe we just need to remember why we got into this in the first place. Maybe we just need to remember that the news is supposed to inform. Not entertain. Not engage. Not “viral.” Just inform.
And maybe, just maybe, if we do that, we can fix this mess. We can fix the news. We can make it better.
Or maybe I’m just being naive. I don’t know. Maybe I am.
But I do know this: I’m gonna keep trying. I’m gonna keep reporting. I’m gonna keep telling stories. And I’m gonna keep hoping that, one day, the news will be better. That it will be what it’s supposed to be.
Because, look, I love this job. I really do. I love the news. I love the truth. I love the stories. And I love the people who make it all happen.
So, yeah. The news is broken. But it’s not beyond repair. And I’m not gonna give up on it. Not yet.
Author Bio: Sarah has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years, working with major publications and covering everything from politics to pop culture. When she’s not editing, she’s probably arguing about grammar, petting her cat Muffin, or pretending she’s gonna start a garden (she never does).
