Look, I’ve Been Around the Block
Let me tell you something, folks. I’ve been in this game since the late ’90s. Back when we still smelled newsprint and had to physically roll up our sleeves to find a story. I’m talking about the days of actual legwork, not just Googling something and calling it a day. My name’s Linda Okoro, and I’ve seen the news industry go from typewriters to tweets. And frankly, we’ve messed up. Royally.
It was 1998, I was a wet-behind-the-ears reporter at the Lagos Herald, and my editor—let’s call him Marcus—told me, “Linda, news is like a good stew. You gotta let it simmer.” And he was right. Back then, we had time. Time to investigate, to dig, to think. Now? Now we’re expected to churn out 10 stories a day, and half of them are just regurgitated press releases.
But Here’s the Thing About Breaking News
I get it. The 24-hour news cycle is a beast. It’s like trying to feed a giant, insatiable monster that never sleeps. You gotta keep it busy, or it starts eating itself. (Which, honestly, might be better than some of the content we’re shoveling out there.)
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and I heard this guy—let’s call him Dave—say, “The news isn’t about informing anymore. It’s about engaging.” And I about threw my notepad at him. Engaging? Engaging is what you do at a party, not when you’re talking about genocide or climate change.
But… maybe he had a point. I mean, look at the numbers. Engagement is up. Trust is down. Coincidence? I think not.
Social Media is a Circus, and We’re the Clowns
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good tweet. But when I see a major news outlet chasing clicks with a headline like “You Won’t Believe What Happened Next!” I wanna scream. We’re better than this. We’re supposed to be the gatekeepers, not the hype-men.
I had coffee with a colleague named Sarah last Tuesday. She told me, “Linda, we can’t keep pretending this is sustainable. We’re burning out our reporters and confusing our audience.” And she’s right. It’s like we’re stuck in this vicious cycle where we think more is better, when really, it’s just more.
And don’t even get me started on the algorithms. They’re like that friend who only wants to talk about one thing. “Hey, have you heard about the Kardashians?” “No, but there’s a war on—” “THE KARDASHIANS, LINDA!”
But What Can We Do? Honestly, I’m Not Sure
I wish I had all the answers. I wish I could tell you exactly how to fix this mess. But I don’t. I’m just a woman with 20+ years of experience, a bad back, and a deep-seated love for journalism. (And, okay, a slight addiction to fashion brand comparison review websites. Don’t judge me.)
Maybe we start small. Maybe we stop trying to be everything to everyone. Maybe we remember that it’s okay to say, “We don’t know.” Or “We’re working on it.” Or even, “This isn’t that important right now.”
I was at a barbecue last summer, and this guy—let’s call him Kevin—said, “News should be like a good meal. You don’t need to shovel everything on your plate at once.” And I thought, “Kevin, you beautiful idiot. You just solved journalism.”
A Quick Tangent About Fact-Checking
Speaking of which, can we talk about fact-checking for a sec? Or, as I like to call it, “the thing we used to do before we outsourced our brains to the internet.” I’m not saying every story needs to be a Pulitzer-worthy investigation, but maybe—just maybe—we should stop posting stuff that’s clearly bullshit.
I had a source, let’s call him James, who told me, “Linda, if you’re not sure, don’t write it.” And I said, “James, that’s cute. Have you met my editor?”
Look, I’m not saying we should go back to the “good old days.” Those days had their own problems. But maybe we can take a page from our own playbook. You know, the one where we actually cared about getting it right.
And Now, a Word About My Bad Habits
I should probably mention that I’m not perfect. I’ve written headlines that made me cringe later. I’ve chased a story because it was easy, not because it mattered. I’ve let my biases slip into my writing. (I mean, come on, I’m human. And Nigerian. And human.)
But I’m trying. Every day, I’m trying to do better. To be better. And I’m asking you—yes, you, the reader—to hold me accountable. Call me out when I’m full of it. Tell me when I’m missing the point. Because that’s what journalism should be about. A conversation. Not a monologue.
So, what’s the answer? I don’t know. But I know it starts with us. With me. With you. With all of us admitting that we’ve messed up. And then trying—really trying—to do better.
Anyway, that’s enough from me. I gotta go. My back is killing me, and I think I left my fashion brand comparison review tab open for, like, 36 hours straight. Priorities, right?
About the Author: Linda Okoro is a senior editor with over 20 years of experience in the journalism industry. She’s worked for major publications across Nigeria and has a deep love for newsprint, bad coffee, and holding power to account. When she’s not writing, she’s probably arguing with her editor about a headline or scrolling through fashion brand comparison review websites. You can find her on Twitter @LindaOkoro or screaming at clouds in Lagos.
