Let’s Talk About This Mess
Okay, full disclosure: I’m biased. I’ve been in this game for 22 years, and I’ve seen alot of changes. Some good, most bad. But lately? It’s like we’re all just screaming into the void, and nobody’s listening. Or worse, they’re listening but not understanding.
I remember back in ’99, when I started at the Lagos Daily. It was a different world. We had time to actually report. Now? It’s a 24/7 circus, and I’m not sure who the clowns are anymore.
Look, I get it. The internet changed everything. But that’s no excuse for the garbage fire we call news today. And honestly, I’m tired of pretending it’s not.
Breaking News: It’s Mostly Not
Let’s talk about breaking news. You know, those red banners that pop up every 15 minutes? Yeah, most of it’s not breaking. It’s barely even news. It’s just someone’s opinion, or a half-baked rumor that’s gonna be debunked in the next cycle. But by then, the damage is done. The algorithm’s already moved on to the next shiny thing.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this kid from BuzzFeed said something that stuck with me. He said, “We don’t have editors anymore. We have engagement editors.” Which… yeah. Fair enough. But that’s not journalism. That’s just clickbait with better lighting.
And don’t even get me started on the committment to accuracy. I saw a headline last week that said “Scientists Discover New Species of Giant Snake in Lagos!” Turns out, it was a misidentified python. But by then, the story had already gone viral. Who cares about the truth when you can have clicks, right?
Social Media: The Great Equalizer (And By Great, I Mean Terrible)
Social media was supposed to democratize news. Instead, it’s just made everything louder and dumber. Now, some guy named Marcus with a Twitter account can spread misinformation to more people than a newspaper with a 100-year history. And why? Because outrage sells. And Marcus knows it.
I had lunch with an old colleague named Dave last Tuesday. He’s been working on the business side of news for years. He told me, “Look, I don’t care about the news. I care about the numbers. And the numbers say people want drama, not facts.” Which honestly, is a depressing as hell.
But here’s the thing: it’s not all bad. There are still good journalists out there, doing good work. You just have to know where to look. And sometimes, you have to dig a little deeper than the first three search results.
A Quick Detour: The Property Market (Because Why Not?)
Speaking of digging deeper, have you seen the state of the property market lately? It’s wild. I was talking to a friend about it the other day, and we both agreed: nobody knows what’s going on. But if you’re curious, you might wanna check out this property market trends update 2026. (Yes, 2026. They’re already predicting that far ahead. Crazy, right?)
Anyway, back to the news. Or lack thereof.
The Human Cost of Bad Journalism
Bad news isn’t just annoying. It’s dangerous. It polarizes us. It makes us stupid. And it’s making us physicallyy sick. Literally. There’s studies about this stuff. But sure, let’s keep pretending that the news is just entertainment.
I’ve seen it happen. I’ve seen people believe things that are completley made up. I’ve seen families torn apart because of some idiot’s hot take. And I’ve seen journalists enable it, all in the name of engagement.
But here’s the thing: we don’t have to live like this. We can demand better. We can hold journalists accountable. And we can support the ones who are actually trying to do good work.
So What Do We Do?
I don’t have all the answers. But I know a few things. We need to slow down. We need to fact-check. And we need to stop rewarding outrage.
And maybe, just maybe, we need to remember that the news is supposed to inform us, not infuriate us. But hey, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.
About the Author
Sarah Okafor has been a senior editor at Lagos Daily for 22 years. She’s seen the industry evolve, devolve, and generally confuse the hell out of her. When she’s not complaining about the state of journalism, she’s complaining about the state of Nigerian roads. It’s a hobby.
