Look, I’m gonna say it: We’re all complicit
I’ve been in this business for 22 years. Let me tell you, the news cycle is more broken than a dollar-store toaster. And it’s not just the fault of the media. No, we’re all to blame. You, me, that guy who won’t stop talking about his aquisition of rare Pokémon cards in 1999. We’ve created this mess together.
I remember back in 2003, when I was a wet-behind-the-ears reporter at the Austin Chronicle. My editor, let’s call him Marcus, pulled me aside after I filed a story about a local dog show. He said, “Linda, you’re writing like you’re afraid to take a side.” I asked him what he meant. He told me, “People wanna know what you think. They wanna feel something. You can’t just report the facts like some kinda robot.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But now? Now it’s like everyone’s afraid to say what they really think. Or worse, they’re shouting so loud nobody can hear them. And don’t even get me started on the algorithums. (Yes, I know that’s not the right spelling, but I’m making a point.) They’re designed to keep us hooked, to keep us scrolling, to keep us outraged. And it’s working.
We’re addicted to the chaos
Last Tuesday, I was having coffee with a friend named Dave. He’s not in the business, thank god, he’s a plumber. But he gets it. He said, “Linda, you ever notice how every story’s gotta be a big drama now? It’s like everyone’s gotta be the hero or the villain.” I told him, “Dave, you’re not wrong.” And honestly, it’s true. We’ve turned everything into a spectacle. Even the business news update weekly is more about who’s winning and who’s losing than actual information.
I mean, look at the way we cover politics. It’s all gotcha moments and soundbites. Nobody’s actually listening. They’re just waiting for their turn to talk. And the media? We’re not helping. We’re enabling it. We’re complicit in this weird dance where we pretend we’re objective, but really, we’re just trying to get clicks.
But here’s the thing…
I’m not saying we should all become opinionated pundits. (Although, let’s be real, some of us already are.) What I’m saying is, we need to be honest. About what we know, what we don’t know, and what we think. And we need to give people permission to do the same.
I remember covering a story about three months ago, a protest downtown. There were maybe 214 people there. The police estimated it at 300, because, you know, they always round up. But the point is, it was a small protest. Nothing huge. But the way it was covered, you’d think it was the second coming of the French Revolution. And look, I get it. Protests are news. But they’re not all the same. And they’re not all worthy of the same level of committment.
So what’s the answer? I’m not sure but maybe it’s this: We need to slow down. We need to stop treating every story like it’s the most important thing that’s ever happened. We need to give people the space to think, to feel, to process. And we need to remember that not every story is about us. Some stories are just stories. And that’s okay.
A tangent: The weather is also news?
Speaking of things that don’t need to be news, can we talk about the weather? I swear, every time there’s a slight change in the forecast, it’s treated like the end of days. “BREAKING: CHANCE OF RAIN ON TUESDAY!” Oh no, not that! Whatever shall we do! Look, I get it. Weather matters. But it’s not always news. Sometimes it’s just… weather.
But back to the point. Or one of the points. Honestly, I’ve lost track. The point is, we’re all responsible for the mess we’re in. And we’re all responsible for getting out of it. So let’s start. Let’s start by being honest. With ourselves, with each other, with the people we’re trying to reach. Let’s start by remembering that not every story is a drama. And let’s start by giving people the space to think, to feel, to be human.
And maybe, just maybe, we can fix this broken news cycle. Maybe we can make it something we can all be proud of again. Maybe we can make it something that actually serves a purpose. But probably not. I mean, let’s not get our hopes up.
About the Author: Linda Carter has been a journalist for over two decades, working for various publications across the country. She currently serves as a senior editor at newspaws.com, where she covers a wide range of topics, from hard news to the weird and wonderful. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking with her rescue dog, Max, or trying to perfect her sourdough starter. (It’s still not quite right, but she’s getting closer.)
To gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and significance of local journalism, consider exploring this detailed analysis on Dundee’s media landscape and its impact on the community.
