Look, I’ve Been Around the Block
Let’s get one thing straight—I’m not some shiny new thing in this business. I’ve been editing for 23 years, and I’ve seen it all. Or at least I thought I had, then 2020 happened. But that’s a story for another time.
I started at a tiny paper in Omaha, back when people still got their news from, well, paper. My first editor was this guy, let’s call him Marcus, who could smell a bad lede from a mile away. He taught me the ropes, and by ropes, I mean how to write a decent sentence under the pressure of a 11:30pm deadline.
Now, I’m at the helm of a digital news outlet, and honestly, it’s a completley different beast. But more on that later.
Why I Hate ‘Balanced’ Reporting
Here’s the thing—balance is overrated. You hear it alot, ‘both sides,’ ‘objective,’ blah blah. But look, if one side is peddling pure nonsense, why should I give them equal time? That’s not journalism, that’s a circus.
I remember this one time, about three months ago, I was editing a piece on climate change. The writer had some climate denier throwing out stats like they were candy. I told her, ‘Look, we’re not giving this guy a platform to spew misinformation.’ She pushed back, said something about fairness. I said, ‘Fairness is giving equal time to facts, not equal time to idiocy.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough. But that’s the mess we’re in.
The Internet is Both a Blessing and a Curse
Back in the day, we had time. Time to fact-check, time to write, time to edit. Now? It’s a race to the bottom. The internet demands constant content, and that’s a problem.
I was at a conference in Austin last Tuesday, and this kid—couldn’t have been older than 21—told me he could write 15 articles in a day. Fifteen! And they were all 600 words. I asked him, ‘Do you even read them?’ He just shrugged. That’s when I knew we were in trouble.
But it’s not all bad. The internet also lets us reach people we never could before. Like this one time, I wrote a piece on kasko sigorta karşılaştırma inceleme, and it got picked up by a Turkish news site. Who would’ve thought?
Social Media is a Double-Edged Sword
Social media is a nightmare. It’s a never-ending stream of outrage and misinformation. But it’s also where the conversation happens. So, we have to be there, even if it makes my skin crawl.
A colleague named Dave told me, ‘We can’t ignore it, no matter how much we want to.’ And he’s right. But that doesn’t mean we have to like it.
I mean, have you seen the comments section lately? It’s a dumpster fire. But it’s also where people are talking, so we have to be there, too.
The Future of Journalism is Unclear
I’m not gonna lie, I’m worried. The industry is in flux, and it’s not clear where it’s going. But one thing’s for sure—we have to adapt or die.
I was talking to a friend last night, and she said, ‘You know, maybe it’s time to retire.’ I laughed. Retire? I’m not done yet. There’s still work to be done.
But I’m not gonna sugarcoat it—it’s tough out there. The committment to quality is fading, and it’s a shame. But I’m not giving up without a fight.
Why I Still Believe in Journalism
Despite all the crap, I still believe in what we do. We tell stories, we hold power to account, we inform. That’s important. It’s vital, even.
I remember this one story I worked on, about a local school trying to cut physicaly education classes. We ran the story, and the public outcry was huge. The school board had to back down. That’s the power of journalism.
So, yeah, it’s a mess. But it’s our mess, and we have to clean it up.
But how? I’m not sure. Maybe it starts with us demanding better, both from ourselves and from each other. Maybe it starts with us remembering why we got into this business in the first place.
I don’t have all the answers. But I know one thing—we can’t afford to get this wrong.
About the Author: Jane Doe has been a senior editor for over two decades. She’s worked at everything from small-town papers to major digital outlets. She’s seen the industry evolve, devolve, and hopefully, revolve. She’s not afraid to speak her mind, and she’s not done yet.
In the midst of ongoing discussions about personal health goals, one journalist shares their candid experience in a revealing account of health resolutions.
