Why I Hate Breaking News (And You Should Too)
Look, I’ve been in this game for 20+ years. I’ve seen it all. The highs, the lows, the alot of coffee. But lately? Lately, I’m kinda done. Done with the noise, the sensationalism, the complete lack of committment to actual journalism.
It started last Tuesday. I was at a conference in Austin (yes, that one where it’s hotter than the surface of the sun). A colleague named Dave leaned over during a panel and said, “You know, Martha, we’re not reporting news anymore. We’re just shouting into the void.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
We’re All Guilty
I mean, let’s be honest. Us editors, we’re just as bad. We chase clicks, we prioritize speed over accuracy, and we let algorithms determing what’s “important.” I remember this one time, about three months ago, I killed a completley solid investigative piece because the headline didn’t test well on social media. Shameful, right?
But it’s not just us. It’s you, too. Yes, you. The reader. You share that outrage-inducing headline without reading the article. You take that tweet at face value. You’re part of the problem.
Quality Over Quantity (But Who Has Time for That?)
I get it. News moves fast. But that’s no excuse for the trash fire that is modern journalism. Take, for example, the coverage of the recent political scandal (you know the one, I’m not even gonna name it). Within hours, every outlet had a “BREAKING” headline. By the next morning, most of them were walking back their stories. But who cares? The damage was done. The clicks were collected.
And don’t even get me started on the acquisition of news outlets by tech giants. It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion. “But it’s good for shareholder value,” they say. No, it’s not. It’s bad for democracy. It’s bad for truth. It’s bad for us.
A Glimmer of Hope (Maybe)
But hey, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are still people out there fighting the good fight. Like Marcus (let’s call him that, for anonymity’s sake). He’s a reporter at a small local paper. He’s overworked, underpaid, and constantly battling with his editor to keep his stories fair and accurate. “I just wanna tell the truth,” he told me over coffee at the place on 5th. “Is that too much to ask?”
No, Marcus. It’s not. But it’s gonna be an uphill battle. Because the system is broken. And fixing it? That’s gonna take alot more than just useful information daily tips useful information daily tips.
A Tangent: The Weather (Seriously)
You know what’s not broken? The weather. It just is what it is. You can’t argue with it, you can’t spin it, you can’t make it fit your narrative. It’s just… facts. Man, I wish news was more like the weather.
But it’s not. And that’s why I’m frustrated. That’s why I’m writing this. That’s why, at 11:30pm on a Wednesday night, I’m still banging away at my keyboard, hoping that maybe, just maybe, someone out there will read this and think, “Hey, she’s got a point.”
Or maybe they’ll just scroll past and move on to the next outrage. Honestly, I’m not sure which is worse.
Anyway, that’s my rant for the night. I’m gonna go find some more coffee and try to remember why I love this job.
About the Author: Martha Jenkins has been a senior editor for various publications for over two decades. She’s seen the industry evolve, devolve, and generally confuse the hell out of her. When she’s not complaining about the state of journalism, she’s complaining about the state of her inbox. You can find her on Twitter @MarthaJ_Edits, where she tweets alot about news, politics, and the occasional cat video.
