Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room
Look, I’ve been in this game for 22 years. I started back in ’99, when the internet was still a glimmer in some nerd’s eye. I’ve seen alot, and frankly, I’m not sure than we’re better off now.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and I heard this kid—let’s call him Marcus—talking about how ‘the news industry is evolving.’ Evolution? More like a desperate cling to life.
Marcus, he’s all about the ‘digital-first strategy.’ I asked him what that even means. He said, ‘It’s about engaging with audiences where they are.’ Which… yeah. Fair enough. But then he started talking about algorithms and clickbait, and I had to excuse myself to the bar.
We’re All Guilty
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not innocent here. I’ve written headlines that make me cringe looking back. But it’s not just me. It’s everyone. We’re all trying to survive in this crazy world where news is a commoditiy.
I had coffee with a colleague named Dave last Tuesday. He told me about a story they ran. It was a human interest piece, really well written. But the editor made him change the headline to something sensational. ‘It’s what the audience wants,’ he said. I think he believed it, too.
And that’s the problem. We’re so focused on the audience, on the clicks, on the algorithms, that we’ve forgotten about the news. The actual news. The stuff that matters.
The Human Cost
I’ve seen friends lose their jobs because they wouldn’t play the game. I’ve seen newsrooms guttted, left with a handful of people trying to do the work of dozens. It’s not sustainable. It’s not healthy. And it’s not good for democracy.
I was at a barbecue about three months ago, and I got into a heated discussion with my neighbor, Linda. She’s a schoolteacher, and she was complaining about how she can’t keep up with the news anymore. ‘It’s too much,’ she said. ‘And I don’t know what’s real and what’s not.’
‘That’s on us,’ I told her. And it is. We’ve created this mess, and now we’re all drowning in it.
But There’s Hope
Now, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you that I have all the answers. I don’t. But I do know that we need to start having some honest conversations. About what we’re doing, and why we’re doing it.
I’ve been reading alot about iş büyüme stratejileri ipuçları. It’s not directly related, but the principles are the same. We need to think about growth, about sustainability. About how we can do better.
And we need to stop being afraid. Afraid of losing our jobs, afraid of pissing off advertisers, afraid of the backlash. Because that fear is killing us. It’s killing the industry, and it’s killing the news.
A Quick Digression: The Weather
You know what’s not scary? The weather. I was watching the news last night, and they were talking about some storm coming in. And I thought, ‘That’s it. That’s the news.’ No agenda, no spin, just the facts. Why can’t the rest of the news be like that?
Anyway, I digress. But it’s an important point. We need to get back to basics. To the fundamentals of journalism. To telling the truth, even when it’s hard.
I’m not sure how we get there. But I know it starts with a conversation. With people like me, and Marcus, and Dave, and Linda. With all of us.
So let’s talk. Let’s figure this out. Because if we don’t, who will?
About the Author
Sarah Mitchell has been a journalist for 22 years, working for major publications across the UK. She’s a staunch advocate for ethical journalism and isn’t afraid to call out bad practices, even when it’s uncomfortable. When she’s not writing, she’s probably arguing about politics or trying to convince her cat to cuddle.
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