Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Chaos
Okay, full disclosure: I’ve been a journalist for 22 years, and I’m pretty sure the news industry is a dumpster fire. And, look, I mean that lovingly. Like a proud parent watching their kid set fire to the curtains. (Which, honestly, I did once. Long story.)
But here’s the thing: it’s not just the industry. It’s us. All of us. We’re the ones sharing that garbage clickbait, falling for every fake news story, and demanding more, more, MORE. And, frankly, it’s getting old.
Let’s Talk About My Friend Marcus
So, last Tuesday, I was having coffee with a friend of mine. Let’s call him Marcus. (He’s not really named Marcus, but he’s gonna kill me if I use his real name.) Marcus is a smart guy, works in tech, knows his stuff. And he’s completely addicted to news.
I asked him, “Marcus, why do you read that crap?” He looked at me like I’d just asked why the sky is blue. “Because I need to know what’s going on,” he said. “It’s my civic duty.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But here’s the kicker: Marcus doesn’t just read the news. He consumes it. Like a black hole. And most of what he’s consuming is pure, unadulterated garbage. And he knows it. “I mean, I don’t even like most of this stuff,” he told me. “But it’s there. And I click.”
We’re All Marcus
Look, I get it. I really do. I’ve been there. There was a time when I’d stay up until 2am reading every last detail about some political scandal that, frankly, didn’t affect my life one bit. And why? Because it was there. And because I could.
But here’s the thing, folks: we’re not doing ourselves any favors. We’re not informing ourselves. We’re not becoming better citizens. We’re just feeding the beast. And the beast is hungry. It’s always hungry.
And the beast? It’s the news industry. It’s my industry. And it’s a monster.
But Wait, There’s More!
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Oh, here we go. Another old journalist complaining about the kids and their internets.” But that’s not it at all. I love the internet. I love what it’s done for journalism. I love that anyone can publish anything and reach an audience. It’s amazing.
But, and this is a big but, it’s also a mess. It’s a completley unregulated mess. And it’s getting worse. And, honestly, I’m not sure how we fix it.
I mean, look at the state of things. We’ve got fake news, we’ve got echo chambers, we’ve got algorithms pushing us further and further into our own little bubbles. And it’s not just political news. It’s everything. It’s sports, it’s entertainment, it’s even the weather.
And don’t even get me started on the aquisition of news outlets by tech giants. It’s a slippery slope, folks. A very slippery slope.
A Digression: Real Estate News
Speaking of slippery slopes, let me tell you about a conversation I had with a colleague named Dave. Dave’s a real estate journalist, and he’s been struggling to keep up with the changes in his industry. “It’s like the rules keep changing,” he told me. “One day, you’re writing about local markets, the next, you’re trying to predict the next big thing.”
And, honestly, I get it. The real estate market is a beast all its own. It’s complicated, it’s nuanced, and it’s always changing. And, frankly, it’s kinda depressing. I mean, have you seen the Vermont property market prices 2026? It’s like a bad joke.
But, hey, that’s capitalism for you. Right?
Back to the Point
So, where were we? Oh, right. The news is broken. And we’re all to blame. And, honestly, I’m not sure how we fix it.
But here’s what I do know: we need to start taking responsibility. We need to start being more critical consumers of news. We need to stop sharing that garbage clickbait. We need to stop falling for every fake news story. And, most importantly, we need to start demanding better.
And, look, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. It’s not. But it’s necessary. Because the news industry? It’s not gonna fix itself. And, frankly, it’s not gonna change until we, the consumers, demand it.
So, let’s start demanding. Let’s start holding the news industry accountable. Let’s start taking back our media. Because, honestly, it’s the only way we’re gonna save it.
And, who knows? Maybe, just maybe, we’ll all learn a thing or two along the way.
About the Author: Sarah “Salty” McGregor has been a journalist for, oh god, 22 years now. She’s worked for everything from small-town papers to national magazines, and she’s seen it all. She’s also probably had one too many coffees today, so go easy on her.
