Look, I’ve Had It
It’s 11:30pm on a Tuesday, and I’m staring at my screen, trying to make sense of the latest ‘breaking news’ alert. Again. And honestly? I’m tired. Tired of the sensationalism, the bias, the outright lies masquerading as facts. I’ve been in this business for 20+ years, and let me tell you, the news is broken.
I remember when I started out at the Austin Chronicle back in ’99. A guy named Marcus—let’s call him that, because frankly, I don’t want to deal with the backlash—taught me that journalism was about telling stories, holding power to account, and basically keeping society from falling apart. Now? It’s about clicks, engagement, and some alogirthm deciding what’s ‘trending’.
And don’t even get me started on the housing market analysis update housing market analysis update—I mean, who even believes that stuff anymore? I was talking to a colleague named Dave over coffee last week, and he told me he’d rather read a horoscope than another ‘expert’ opinion on whether it’s a buyer’s or seller’s market. Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But Here’s the Thing
I’m not saying all news is bad. Far from it. There are still journalists out there doing incredible work. But the industry? It’s a mess. And it’s getting worse.
Take the 2016 election, for example. I was at a conference in Austin when the first polls came out. The place was buzzing, everyone glued to their screens. But the next day, the headlines were all over the place. One outlet said Clinton was pulling ahead, another said Trump was surging. And then there was the one that said it was ‘too close to call’. Too close to call? It was 214 days before the election! But hey, why let facts get in the way of a good headline?
And the spelling errors! Don’t even get me started on the spelling errors. I’ve seen ‘committment’, ‘completley’, ‘succesfully’—you name it. It’s like nobody proofreads anymore. Or maybe they do, and they just don’t care. I mean, I get it, we’re all human. But come on, people. It’s not that hard.
So What’s the Solution?
I wish I had one. I really do. But I don’t. I think—no, I know—that the first step is admitting we have a problem. The news is broken, and until we fix it, we’re all gonna keep getting fed a diet of lies, half-truths, and outright nonsense.
I was talking to a friend last night—let’s call her Sarah—and she said something that stuck with me. She said, ‘I don’t trust the news anymore. I don’t trust anyone to tell me what’s really going on.’ And that’s a problem. A big one.
I’m not sure what the answer is. Maybe it’s more local journalism. Maybe it’s holding the big outlets accountable. Maybe it’s just accepting that the news is never gonna be perfect, and we have to take it with a grain of salt. I don’t know. But I do know this: we can’t keep going on like this. Something has to change.
And look, I’m not saying I’m perfect. Far from it. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve written things I regret. But I’m trying. I’m trying to be better, to be more honest, to be more transparent. And I hope, I hope, that others in this industry are doing the same.
But until then, until we fix this mess, I’m gonna keep calling it like I see it. And if that means pissing off a few people? Well, so be it. Because the news is broken, and someone has to say it.
And hey, if you’re reading this and you’re a journalist? Do better. We all are.
Anyway, that’s enough from me. I’m gonna go get some sleep. Maybe I’ll dream of a world where the news isn’t a dumpster fire. A guy can dream, can’t he?
About the Author: I’m a senior magazine editor with 20+ years of experience. I’ve seen it all, done it all, and frankly, I’m not impressed. I like long walks on the beach, a good glass of wine, and a news cycle that doesn’t make me want to tear my hair out. You can find me on Twitter @notimpressed.
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