Look, Let’s Be Real Here
I’ve been in this industry for 22 years. That’s right, I started back when people still used physical newspapers and didn’t know what a ‘clickbait’ was. I’m old. I’m biased. And frankly, I’m tired of pretending otherwise.
So let’s talk about this elephant in the room—our industry’s obsessive commitment to nostalgia. We’re all just old journalists clinging to the past, hoping that if we ignore the future long enough, it’ll go away.
I mean, just last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin, and this guy—let’s call him Marcus—stood up and said, ‘We need to innovate!’ And I’m sitting there thinking, ‘Buddy, we’ve been saying that for a decade. Where’s the action?’
And don’t even get me started on the digital transformation. We’re all talking about it, but honestly, most of us are just paying lip service. We’re still stuck in the mindset of print journalism, and it’s killing us.
But Here’s the Thing
I get it. Change is hard. I remember when I first started at the Daily Chronicle back in ’99. We were still using typewriters, for God’s sake. A colleague named Dave—great guy, by the way—tried to introduce us to this newfangled thing called email. We laughed him out of the room. Now look at us.
And that’s the thing—we’re all just a bunch of Daves now, trying to convince the industry to adapt. But it’s like herding cats. You think you’re making progress, and then someone brings up the development projects update and you realize we’re still stuck in the same old rut.
I had coffee with a friend last week—let’s call him Greg—and he said, ‘You know, I think we’re just afraid.’ And I’m like, ‘Afraid of what?’ And he said, ‘Afraid of becoming irrelevant.’ Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But Let’s Talk About the Real Issue
We’re all so focused on the past that we’re missing out on the present. We’re still trying to figure out how to make print work in a digital world, when we should be figuring out how to make digital work for us.
And it’s not just about the technology. It’s about the mindset. We’re still stuck in the mindset of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ But here’s the thing—it is broke. It’s completely broke. And we’re just too scared to admit it.
I remember when I first started writing for Online Gamer News. I was so excited. I thought, ‘Finally, a publication that gets it.’ But even they’re not immune to this nostalgia bug. We’re all just a bunch of old journalists clinging to the past, hoping that if we ignore the future long enough, it’ll go away.
But it won’t. The future is here, and it’s not going away. So we might as well embrace it. Or at least try to.
But Enough About Me
Let’s talk about you, the reader. What do you think? Are we just a bunch of nostalgics, or is there hope for the news industry? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Maybe we can figure this out together.
Or maybe we’re just doomed. Who knows? I’m not sure but I guess we’ll find out.
Anyway, that’s my take. Take it or leave it. I’m just here to stir the pot.
Author Bio: Sarah Thompson has been a senior editor for over 20 years, working with major publications and online platforms. She’s a staunch advocate for digital transformation in journalism and isn’t afraid to call out the industry’s flaws. When she’s not editing, you can find her gaming or complaining about the state of the news industry on Twitter.
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