Look, We’ve Got a Problem
I’ve been in this game for over 20 years. Started as a cub reporter in a tiny office in Lagos, back when we still used typewriters (kinda). Now I’m editing for one of the biggest dailies in the city. And let me tell you, something’s rotten in the state of news.
It’s this breakneck speed we’re all chasing. Breaking news, breaking views, breaking everything. And honestly, it’s completley messing with our committment to good journalism.
Last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin (yeah, I know, weird place for a Lagos-based editor, but that’s a story for another time). Anyway, I’m there listening to this panel of so-called experts talking about the future of news. And one of them, let’s call him Marcus, says something that just stuck with me.
“We’re not reporting news anymore,” he says. “We’re just reacting.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But First, Let’s Talk About Me
Before I get into this, let me set the scene. I’m not some ivory tower editor who thinks they know it all. I’m human. I make mistakes. Like last month, I accidentally published a story with a huge factual error. Not my finest moment. But that’s how we learn, right?
Anyway, I digress. Point is, I’ve seen this industry evolve (or devolve, depending on who you ask) from the inside. And what I’m seeing lately ain’t pretty.
The Tyranny of the Now
We’re all guilty of it. Editors, reporters, even readers. This insatiable hunger for the now. The latest. The breaking. And it’s killing our ability to tell stories that actually matter.
Take, for example, the coverage of the last election. I mean, sure, we had to report on the daily drama. But at what cost? We spent so much time chasing every little tweet and scandal that we barely had time to dig into the actual issues. The policies. The facts. The stuff that actually affects people’s lives.
And don’t even get me started on the physicaly impossible deadlines. I had a reporter once who worked 36 hours straight during the election. 36 hours! And for what? So we could be the first to report that some politician ate a bad burrito? Come on.
But What’s the Alternative?
I’m not saying we should slow down completely. There are times when speed matters. Like when there’s a natural disaster or a major accident. People need to know what’s happening.
But honestly, most of the time, we’re just reacting to noise. And it’s exhausting. For us and for the readers.
I remember talking to a colleague named Dave about this. We were over coffee at the place on 5th, you know the one with the kinda bad pastries but great ambiance. And he says to me, “Look, Martha, we can’t keep up this pace. It’s not sustainable.”
And he’s right. It’s not. We need to find a balance. We need to remember that not every story needs to be broken. Sometimes, it’s okay to let a story breathe. To give it time to develop. To actually report it.
And Now, a Word on Health
Look, I know what you’re thinking. “Martha, you’re ranting about the news industry. What does this have to do with healthy lifestyle tips daily habits?”
Well, honestly, alot. Because this breakneck pace we’re keeping? It’s not healthy. For any of us. We’re working long hours, eating junk food, skipping sleep. It’s a recipe for disaster.
And it’s not just us. It’s our readers too. They’re constantly bombarded with news alerts and breaking updates. It’s stressing them out. And it’s making them sick.
So maybe, just maybe, it’s time we all slow down a bit. Take a step back. Breathe. And remember that not every story needs to be broken. Sometimes, it’s okay to just let it be.
And hey, if you need some help with that, maybe check out healthy lifestyle tips daily habits. I mean, I haven’t tried it myself, but Dave swears by it. And he’s usually right about these things.
A Tangent: The Rise of the Algorithm
Now, I know this isn’t directly related, but I gotta say something about algorithms. They’re taking over our industry. And it’s scaring the hell out of me.
I mean, come on. We’re letting machines decide what’s news? What’s important? It’s insane. And it’s leading to some seriously weird coverage.
Like, I swear, every time there’s a minor celebrity sighting, our algorithm goes nuts. We’re getting more views on that than on actual news. It’s like we’re living in some kind of bizarro world.
But I digress. Again.
So, What Now?
I’m not sure. Honestly, I don’t have all the answers. But I do know this: we can’t keep going the way we are. We need to change. We need to find a better way.
And maybe, just maybe, that better way involves slowing down. Taking a breath. And remembering why we got into this business in the first place.
Because it’s not about the views. It’s not about the clicks. It’s not even about the breaking news. It’s about telling stories. It’s about informing the public. It’s about making a difference.
And we’re not gonna do that if we’re too busy chasing our own tails.
So, let’s slow down. Let’s think. Let’s report. And let’s remember that not every story needs to be broken.
Because honestly, we’re all better than that.
About the Author: Martha Okonkwo is a senior editor at Lagos Daily. She’s been in the news game for over 20 years and has seen it all. Well, almost all. She’s still not sure about this whole “citizen journalism” thing, but she’s working on it.
When she’s not editing, you can find her arguing with her cat, attempting to cook Nigerian food (with mixed succesfully), or yelling at the TV during a football match. She’s also a huge fan of healthy lifestyle tips daily habits, whatever they are.
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