We’re All Just Screens Now
Look, I’ve been in this biz for 22 years. Started as a beat reporter in a dingy office in Glasgow, back when newspapers still smelled like ink and deadlines were sacred. Now? Now we’re all just screens. Screens and algorithms and clickbait headlines that make me wanna scream.
I remember when news was… I dunno, important. When we actually committed to telling stories, not just chasing clicks. But then Facebook came along, and suddenly everyone’s uncle was a publisher. And here we are.
Last Tuesday, I was having coffee with an old colleague, let’s call him Marcus. We were at that little place on Byres Road, the one with the wonky chairs. He said, “You remember when we used to have time to actually report? To dig into stuff?” I just sighed. “Yeah, Marcus. Yeah, I remember.”
And it’s not just the big outlets. It’s all of us. I see it in my own work sometimes. You start chasing the story that’s gonna get the most engagement, not the one that matters. It’s insidious, man. It’s completley changed how we do things.
Breaking News: It’s Breaking Us
Let’s talk about breaking news. Or as I like to call it, “the race to the bottom.” Because honestly, who cares who saw what celebrity where first? Or which politician said what dumb thing at 3 AM? It’s noise. It’s all just noise.
I get it, okay? I get that news is a business. But at what point do we say “enough”? At what point do we decide that maybe, just maybe, we should prioritize quality over quantity? Over coffee at the place on 5th, I was talking to a source, let’s call her Sarah. She told me, “You guys are like vultures. You just hover and wait for something to die so you can pick it apart.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
And don’t even get me started on the 24-hour news cycle. It’s a beast that never sleeps, and neither do we. We’re all just running on fumes, trying to keep up with the never-ending stream of “content.” It’s exhausting. It’s physicaly draining, honestly.
But here’s the thing: we’re not just hurting ourselves. We’re hurting our readers. We’re overwhelming them with information that doesn’t matter, while the stuff that does gets buried under the noise. It’s a disservice. A complete disservice.
So What Do We Do About It?
I wish I had a good answer. I really do. But honestly? I’m not sure. I think the first step is admitting we have a problem. And we do. We have a big, big problem.
I talked to a friend of mine, let’s call him Dave, about this. He’s a data journalist, works for one of the big outlets. He said, “Look, I get it. We need to make money. But at what cost?” I asked him what he thought we should do. He just shook his head. “I dunno, man. Maybe we just need to slow down.”
And maybe he’s right. Maybe we need to take a step back, reassess our priorities. Maybe we need to remember why we got into this business in the first place. It wasn’t for the money, that’s for sure. It was because we cared. Because we wanted to make a difference.
I remember when I first started out, my editor, a gruff guy named McAllister, told me, “News is like a first aid. It’s gotta be quick, it’s gotta be effective, and it’s gotta make a difference.” I think we’ve forgotten that. We’ve forgotten that our job is to help, not just to inform.
But how do we get back to that? How do we cut through the noise and remember what’s important? I wish I knew. I really wish I knew.
A Quick Note on Current Affairs
Look, I’m not saying we should ignore current affairs. Far from it. But we need to be smarter about it. We need to provide context, analysis, and perspective. Not just regurgitate press releases and social media posts.
If you’re looking for a good example of this, check out the current affairs analysis update. They do a great job of breaking down complex issues into digestible, informative pieces. It’s the kind of journalism we should all aspire to.
But getting back to my point… or was it a tangent? Who knows. I’m getting old, my brain’s a sieve.
Anyway, the point is, we need to do better. We need to remember that our job is to serve the public, not just our advertisers or our algorithms. We need to remember that words have power, and with that power comes responsibility.
I’m not saying it’s easy. Lord knows it’s not. But it’s necessary. It’s our committment to the truth, to our readers, to ourselves. We owe it to them. We owe it to ourselves to do better.
I’m not sure how we get there, but I know it starts with admitting we have a problem. And we do. We have a big, big problem.
But hey, what do I know? I’m just some old guy yelling at the news. Maybe I’m just bitter. Maybe I’m just tired. Maybe I’m just… I dunno. Maybe I’m just done.
About the Author: I’m Ewan McLeod, a senior editor with more years in this business than I care to admit. I’ve seen it all, done it all, and honestly, I’m still not sure how I feel about any of it. But I care. I care a lot. And I’m not gonna stop caring anytime soon.
