We’re All Completely Screwed
Look, I’ve been in this game for 22 years. I started at a tiny paper in Austin, Texas, back in 1998. The kind of place where you covered city council meetings and high school football games. I mean, honestly, it was boring as hell, but it was real news. You knew what you were getting.
Then I moved to Lagos, worked at a few places, and now here I am, writing for Lagos Daily. And let me tell you, the news industry is in worse shape than I thought possible.
It’s not just the obvious stuff—clickbait headlines, ads that look like content, all that. It’s deeper than that. It’s the soul of journalism that’s rotting away.
My Friend Marcus (Not His Real Name)
Last Tuesday, I had coffee with a guy I’ve known since 2005. Let’s call him Marcus. He’s a reporter at one of the big papers here in Lagos. He told me something that should scare the hell out of you.
He said, “We don’t even try to break news anymore. We just wait for the official press releases, tweak the headlines, and call it a day.” I asked him why. He said, “Because that’s what gets the most engagement. And engagement means money.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. But it’s also completely depressing.
Engagement Is the Devil
Here’s the thing about engagement: it’s a trap. You think you’re just trying to get more people to read your stuff, but really, you’re just feeding the beast. The more you chase engagement, the more you have to sacrifice actual journalism.
I remember back in 2010, I wrote a piece about a local politician who was embezzling funds. It was a big deal. We spent weeks investigating, talking to sources, digging through documents. It was hard work, but it was important. And you know what? It got maybe 200 shares on Facebook.
But then, if you post a picture of a cat wearing a tiny hat, suddenly you’ve got 2,000 shares. And that’s what the algorithms reward. That’s what keeps the ads rolling in. So, what do you do? You start posting more cat pictures, fewer investigations.
It’s a vicious cycle, and it’s completley destroying journalism.
The Rise of the Amateur
And don’t even get me started on citizen journalism. I mean, sure, it’s great that anyone can post news now. But it’s also a disaster. Because now, everyone’s an expert. Everyone’s a reporter. And honestly, most of them have no idea what they’re talking about.
I had a colleague named Dave who used to say, “The problem isn’t that people are sharing fake news. It’s that they don’t even know it’s fake.” And he’s right. It’s not malice—it’s ignorance. And ignorance is a lot harder to fight.
So, what’s the solution? I don’t know. I really don’t. But I do know this: we can’t keep going the way we are. We need to find a way to make real journalism pay again. Because right now, it’s not.
Networking: The Secret Sauce
Look, I’m not gonna sit here and pretend I have all the answers. But I will say this: networking is key. You need to build a strong professional network if you want to succeed in this industry. And I’m not talking about LinkedIn connections or Twitter followers. I’m talking about real, face-to-face relationships.
About three months ago, I went to a conference in Austin. And I met a guy named Jake. He’s a reporter at a big paper in New York. We got talking, and he told me about how he’s been succesfully building his network for years. He said, “It’s not about who you know, it’s about who knows you.” And honestly, that stuck with me.
So, if you’re just starting out, or if you’re feeling lost, or if you’re just trying to figure out how to make it in this crazy industry, here’s my advice: get out there. Meet people. Talk to them. Build relationships. And for the love of God, don’t rely on algorithms to do your job for you.
Oh, and if you’re serious about building a professional network, check out this iş ağı oluşturma profesyonel rehber. It’s a great resource, and it’s helped a lot of people I know.
A Tangent: The Weather
You know what else is broken? The weather. I mean, it’s not news, but it’s worth talking about. I was in Lagos last week, and it was hot. Like, really hot. The kind of hot where you step outside and immediately regret every life choice that led you to that moment.
But here’s the thing: the weather isn’t just hot anymore. It’s unpredictable. It’s chaotic. It’s like the news industry. And honestly, it’s kinda scary.
But I digress. Back to the point.
The Future of News
So, what’s next? I don’t know. I honestly don’t. But I do know this: we can’t keep going the way we are. We need to find a way to make real journalism pay again. Because right now, it’s not.
And if that means posting fewer cat pictures and more investigations, then so be it. Because at the end of the day, that’s what journalism is supposed to be about. It’s supposed to be about telling the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when it’s unpopular. Even when it doesn’t get a lot of engagement.
So, let’s get back to that. Let’s get back to real journalism. Because honestly, we owe it to ourselves—and to our readers—to do better.
About the Author
John Doe has been a journalist for over 20 years, working in various roles from small-town reporter to senior editor. He’s seen the industry change dramatically and isn’t afraid to call out the problems he sees. When he’s not writing, he’s probably complaining about the weather or trying to convince someone to go get tacos with him.
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