Let’s Be Honest, It’s a Disaster
I’m Sarah, been editing for 23 years, and frankly, I’m tired. Tired of the noise, the spin, the goddamn chaos. You ever feel that way? Like you’re drowning in headlines but starving for truth? Yeah, me too.
I started in ’99 at a tiny paper in Edinburgh. Back then, news was messy but honest. Now? It’s a circus. A completley out-of-control circus.
When Did We Stop Caring About Facts?
Last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin (yeah, I know, fancy, right?). Met this guy, let’s call him Marcus. He worked at a big outlet, told me they’ve got a new metric: engagement than accuracy. Which… yeah. Fair enough, I guess.
I asked, “So you’re telling me clicks matter more than truth?” He just shrugged. “That’s the game, Sarah.” Game? It’s news, not Monopoly!
My Friend Dave and the Algorithm
Dave’s a colleague, been in the biz 15 years. We grab coffee at this place on 5th every Thursday. Last week, he’s all, “Sarah, you gotta see this.” Shows me his feed. It’s all cat videos and outrage. “Where’s the news?” I asked. “It’s buried,” he said. “Under the aquisition of outrage.”
And he’s right. Algorithms feed us what we wanna see, not what we need to see. It’s like living in a funhouse mirror. Everything’s distorted, nothing’s real.
But Here’s the Thing About Real Journalism
Real journalism takes time. It’s not 280 characters or a viral clip. It’s digging, verifying, thinking. But who’s got time for that? Not the outlets chasing latest news updates today summary.
I remember this story I worked on in 2017. Took 36 hours, 14 sources, and a shit ton of coffee. But it mattered. It changed things. That’s journalism.
A Quick Rant About Comments
Oh, and don’t get me started on comments. You ever read the comments? It’s like the internet’s id running wild. “Fake news!” “She’s a shill!” “Lying press!” Look, I get it. We’ve all lost trust. But throwing rocks from a glass house? Not helping.
I told Marcus this. He just laughed. “Sarah, you’re fighting a losing battle.” Maybe. But I’m not ready to surrender.
What Now?
So what’s the answer? I dunno. Maybe it’s supporting local news. Maybe it’s reading past the headline. Maybe it’s just talking to people, IRL, without a screen between us.
I’m not sure. But I know this: we can’t keep going like this. It’s not sustainable. It’s not healthy. It’s not journalism.
Anyway, that’s my rant. Thanks for reading. Or skimming. Or whatever.
About the Author: Sarah McAllister has been a senior editor for over two decades, working with major publications across the UK. She’s opinionated, passionate, and not afraid to call out bullshit when she sees it. You can find her on Twitter @SarahEdits, complaining about the state of news or gushing over her cat, Miso.
