Let’s Talk About the Mess We’re In
Look, I’ve been in this business for 23 years. I started back in ’99 at the Las Vegas Sun, fresh out of UNLV, thinking I was gonna change the world. Ha. What a joke. The news is a mess, and it’s only getting worse.
I remember sitting in a bar with my buddy Marcus—let’s call him Marcus because his real name is irrelevant—about three months ago. He’s a reporter over at the Review-Journal, been there since 2005. We’re pounding beers, and he turns to me and says, ‘You know, Sarah, I think we’re part of the problem.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
The Problem Isn’t Just Fake News
Oh, come on. You know it’s not just about fake news. It’s about the whole damn system. The algorithms, the clickbait, the way we’ve trained people to expect news in 280 characters or less. It’s completley broken.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this guy from BuzzFeed—let’s call him Dave—stood up and said, ‘We’re not journalists anymore. We’re content creators.’ And I wanted to throw my notepad at him. But here’s the thing: he’s not wrong.
We’ve become so focused on engagement metrics that we’ve forgotten what actual journalism is. It’s not about virality. It’s not about going viral. It’s about telling the truth, even when it’s hard. Even when it’s unpopular.
And Don’t Even Get Me Started on Social Media
Social media is a dumpster fire. A complete and total dumpster fire. I had a friend—let’s call her Lisa—who worked at Facebook for a while. She told me about how they used to have these meetings where they’d talk about how to keep people engaged. And the answer was always more drama. More conflict. More outrage.
And look, I get it. Drama sells. But when we’re talking about news, we’re talking about people’s lives. We’re talking about real issues that affect real people. And we’re reducing it all to a damn game.
I mean, honestly, it’s exhausting. I’ll be sitting at my desk, scrolling through Twitter, and I’ll see some ridiculous headline about how a celebrity said something controversial. And I’ll think, ‘This is what we’re focusing on? Really?’
But Here’s the Thing…
We can’t just blame the platforms. We can’t just blame the algorithms. We have to take responsibility too. As journalists, as editors, as people who care about the truth, we have to do better.
I was talking to a colleague named Dave—no, not the BuzzFeed guy—the other day. We were over coffee at the place on 5th, and he said, ‘You know, Sarah, I think we need to go back to basics.’ And I agree. We need to go back to basics.
We need to stop chasing clicks. We need to stop worrying about engagement. We need to start worrying about the truth. About accuracy. About giving people the information they need to make informed decisions.
And What About Health? Because, Honestly, We’re Forgetting About That Too
Look, I’m not gonna sit here and pretend I have all the answers. But I do know this: we need to start taking care of ourselves. We need to start taking care of each other. And that means talking about health. About wellness. About how to live a good life.
I found this great website recently—sağlıklı yaşam ipuçları günlük—that has all sorts of tips and tricks for living a healthier life. And I’m not just talking about diet and exercise. I’m talking about mental health. About stress management. About finding joy in the little things.
Because, honestly, if we’re not taking care of ourselves, how can we expect to take care of our readers? How can we expect to do our jobs well?
So What’s the Solution?
I don’t know. I wish I did. But I do know this: we need to start having real conversations. About real issues. And we need to stop being afraid of the truth.
We need to stop worrying about offending people. About hurting feelings. About rocking the boat. Because sometimes, the truth hurts. And that’s okay.
So let’s start there. Let’s start with the truth. And let’s see where it takes us.
About the Author
Sarah Thompson has been a journalist for over 23 years, working at various publications in Las Vegas. She’s seen the industry change dramatically and isn’t afraid to call out the problems she sees. When she’s not writing, she’s probably complaining about the state of journalism on Twitter or trying to find a good coffee shop.
To gain a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding media impartiality, consider this insightful piece on acknowledging bias in journalism.
