Look, I’m gonna say it
We’re all complicit in the mess that is modern news. I should know, I’ve been in the trenches for over 20 years. Let me take you back to 1999, when I was a wet-behind-the-ears reporter at the Lagos Herald. My editor, a gruff guy named Marcus (not his real name, but let’s roll with it), taught me the golden rule: “If it bleeds, it leads.”
And honestly, I thought that was just how things were. But now? Now I’m not so sure. It’s like we’ve taken that rule and cranked it up to 11, and the whole system is physicaly exhausted.
Remember when news was… news?
I mean, I remember sitting in a diner on 5th with my buddy Dave, back in 2005, and he asked me, “Hey, what’s this thing called a blog?” And I laughed. Blogs, pfft. Who needs that when you have real journalism? Well, Dave, guess who’s eating crow now?
Because here’s the thing: blogs, social media, citizen journalism—whatever you wanna call it—it’s changed everything. And not necessarily in a good way. I’m not saying it’s all bad, but come on, let’s be real. The bar has been lowered to the ground, stomped on, and then set on fire.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this kid—kid, I mean, he was probably 30, but to me, everyone’s a kid now—told me, “News is just what I see on my Twitter feed.” And I about choked on my coffee. Twitter, really? That’s your news source? But then I thought, who am I to judge? I mean, I’ve been known to scroll through my feed during a meeting or two.
But here’s the kicker
We, as journalists, are part of the problem. We’re so busy chasing clicks and likes that we’ve forgotten what real news is. I had a conversation with a colleague named Sarah last Tuesday, and she said, “We have to sensationalize everything just to get people to click.” And I said, “Yeah, but at what cost?”
I mean, look at the committment to accuracy. It’s gone out the window. It’s all about speed now. Be the first to break the story, even if you’re wrong. And then just ammend it later. But by then, the damage is done. The misinformation is out there, and it’s gonna take a lot more than a correction to fix it.
And don’t even get me started on the aquisition of news outlets by big tech. It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion. You know it’s gonna be bad, but you can’t look away. I was talking to a source, let’s call him James, about three months ago, and he told me, “It’s all about the algorithm now. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t get seen.”
So what’s the solution?
I wish I had a simple answer. But I don’t. I mean, I think part of it is that we all need to take a step back and remember why we got into this business in the first place. To inform, to educate, to hold power to account. Not to chase clicks or likes or whatever the latest metric is.
And maybe, just maybe, we need to start valuing quality over quantity. I know, radical idea, right? But hear me out. What if we spent more time on fewer stories? What if we actually talked to people, instead of just tweeting at them?
I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. In fact, it’s probably gonna be harder than anything we’ve done before. But it’s gotta be better than what we’re doing now. Because frankly, the current state of affairs is completley unsustainable.
And look, I’m not saying I have all the answers. I’m just one voice in a very crowded room. But I know this: we can’t keep going the way we’re going. We need to make a change, and we need to make it soon.
So, what do you think? Am I off base here? Or do you agree that it’s time for a change? Let me know in the comments, or don’t. I mean, it’s not like I’m keeping track or anything.
Oh, and if you’re looking for some practical advice on how to determing what’s real and what’s not, well, that’s a whole other story. But for now, maybe start by asking yourself: “Is this actually news, or just noise?” And if you’re looking for some tips on how to keep your garden growing amidst all this chaos, check out this bahçe bakımı ipuçları rehber. No, I don’t know why I just put that there. It just felt right.
About the Author
Jane Thompson has been a journalist for over 20 years, working for various publications across Lagos and beyond. She’s seen the industry change dramatically and isn’t afraid to share her opinions on where it’s all going wrong. When she’s not writing, you can find her arguing with people on Twitter or trying to grow tomatoes in her tiny apartment.
To gain a deeper understanding of the news industry, consider exploring the inner workings of journalism, a fascinating look behind the headlines.
