Look, I’ve Had It
It’s 11:30pm on a Tuesday, and I’m staring at my screen, wondering how we got here. Here being a place where news is more about outrage than information. I’ve been editing news for 22 years, and let me tell you, it’s completley changed.
I remember back in ’99, when I started at the Duxbury Gazette, it was all about getting the facts straight. We’d argue for hours over whether to use ‘allegedly’ or not. Now? Now it’s about clicks, shares, and making sure the headline is angry enough to get noticed.
And don’t even get me started on social media. It’s a circus. A complete circus. I was having coffee with my friend Marcus last week, and he said, ‘You know, I don’t even know what’s real anymore.’ And I get it. I mean, I really get it.
But Here’s the Thing
I’m not some old fogey yelling at clouds. I get it, the world’s changed. But that doesn’t mean we should just throw up our hands and say, ‘Oh well, that’s just how it is now.’ No. We need to do better.
I was talking to a colleague named Dave the other day, and he said, ‘You know, I think people just want something they can believe in.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, but how do we give them that when everything’s so… messy?’
It’s a tough question. And honestly, I don’t have all the answers. But I know this: we need to start somewhere. We need to start caring more about truth than outrage. More about facts than clicks.
Let’s Talk About Money
Now, I know what you’re thinking. ‘Oh, here she goes, talking about money again.’ But hear me out. Money changes things. It changes how we think, how we act, what we prioritize.
I remember back in 2008, when the economy tanked, we had to cut staff. It was brutal. But we made it work. We focused on what mattered. We focused on the news. Not the outrage, not the drama, just the news.
And you know what? It worked. People noticed. They appreciated it. They trusted us more. It’s not rocket science, folks. Give people what they want, and they’ll come back.
But now? Now it’s all about the bottom line. About making sure the ads are clicking, the shares are high, the outrage is palpable. It’s exhausting. It’s also not journalism.
A Quick Digression: Travel
Speaking of exhausting, let me tell you about my last vacation. I went to Austin for a conference, and let me tell you, it was a nightmare. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Austin’s great. But the travel? Ugh. I spent more time figuring out budget travel tips saving money than I did enjoying myself.
But that’s a story for another time. Let’s get back to the point.
The Point Is…
We need to do better. We need to care more. About the truth, about the facts, about the people we’re serving. Not the algorithms, not the ads, not the outrage.
I was at a conference in Austin a few years back, and there was this panel on the future of news. And one of the speakers said something that stuck with me. He said, ‘The news isn’t about what’s happening now. It’s about what’s important.’ And I think that’s the key. We need to focus on what’s important, not just what’s happening.
Because let’s face it, there’s always something happening. But not all of it’s important. Not all of it matters. And it’s our job, as journalists, to figure out what does.
So let’s do that. Let’s figure it out. Let’s start caring more about the truth, and less about the outrage. Let’s start giving people something they can believe in again.
Because honestly, I’m tired of pretending it’s not broken. I’m tired of pretending that outrage is the same as information. I’m tired of pretending that clicks matter more than facts.
So let’s change that. Let’s start today. Let’s start now.
About the Author: Jane Doe has been a senior editor for over 22 years. She’s worked at various publications, including the Duxbury Gazette and the Boston Chronicle. She’s a staunch advocate for truth in journalism and believes that news should inform, not outrage. When she’s not editing, she’s probably traveling or complaining about travel. You can find her on Twitter @janedoeeditor.
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