Look, Let’s Be Real Here
I’ve been in this game for 22 years. That’s right, 22. I started at a tiny paper in Scotland, moved to London, and now I’m here, writing for Stirling News. And let me tell you, the news industry is a mess. A complete and utter mess.
It’s not just the algorithms, though they’re a nightmare. It’s not just the clickbait, though oh my god, the clickbait. It’s us. All of us. We’re the problem.
I remember back in ’99, when I was just starting out. A colleague named Dave—let’s call him Dave—told me, “Liz, the news is sacred.” I believed him. I really did. But now? Now I’m not so sure.
We’ve become a society that craves drama. We want scandal. We want outrage. And the news industry? We’re feeding that beast. We’re not just reporting the news; we’re shaping it. And frankly, we’re doing a shit job.
But Here’s the Thing
I’m not innocent here. I’ve done it too. I’ve written headlines that were a bit… sensational. I’ve pushed stories that were a bit… flimsy. Because, let’s face it, we all need to pay the bills.
But it’s getting worse. I was at a conference in Austin last year, and a data journalist—let’s call him Marcus—told me, “The news is dying. And we’re killing it.” He’s right. We’re killing it.
We’re killing it with our need for constant content. With our obsession over trending topics. With our commitment to committment to sensationalism. It’s a vicious cycle, and it’s completley out of hand.
And Don’t Even Get Me Started on Social Media
Social media is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s democratized information. On the other, it’s created an echo chamber of nonsense.
I was having coffee with a friend last Tuesday. She’s a teacher, not some tech geek. She told me, “Liz, I don’t know what’s real anymore.” And that’s the problem. We’ve created a world where misinformation spreads faster than facts. Where fake news isn’t just a joke; it’s a crisis.
And the news industry? We’re not helping. We’re often the ones spreading it. We’re so desperate for clicks that we’ll post anything. We’ll share anything. We’ll believe anything.
But There’s Hope
I’m not saying it’s all doom and gloom. There’s hope. There are still journalists out there doing good work. Reporting the truth. Fighting the good fight.
Take my friend Sarah, for example. She’s a investigative journalist over at the Guardian. She’s been working on a story for about three months now. It’s not sexy. It’s not trending. But it’s important. And she’s gonna see it through, no matter what.
And there are resources out there to help. Like this baby products safety review guide. I know it’s not directly related, but it’s about being informed. Being smart. Being critical. And that’s what we need more of in this world.
We need to be more critical of the news we consume. We need to demand better from the industry. And we need to support the journalists who are doing it right.
But Let’s Not Forget the Bigger Picture
All of this—social media, clickbait, misinformation—it’s a distraction. It’s a way for us to avoid the real issues. The climate crisis. The housing crisis. The political crisis. We’re so busy arguing over nonsense that we’re not paying attention to what’s really important.
I was at a dinner party last weekend. Some guy—let’s call him Kevin—started ranting about some celebrity scandal. I said, “Kevin, who cares? The world is on fire.” And he looked at me like I was crazy. But I’m not crazy. I’m just tired. Tired of the nonsense. Tired of the noise.
We need to focus on what’s real. What’s important. What’s gonna make a difference. And that’s not gonna come from a viral tweet or a sensational headline. It’s gonna come from good, old-fashioned journalism. The kind that informs. The kind that educates. The kind that matters.
So, let’s demand better. Let’s support better. And let’s, for the love of god, stop sharing fake news.
About the Author: Liz Thompson has been a journalist for over two decades, working her way up from a small-town paper to major publications. She’s seen the industry change, not always for the better, and isn’t afraid to call out problems when she sees them. When she’s not writing, she’s probably arguing about politics or binge-watching true crime documentaries.
