Look, I’m Gonna Say It
I’ve been editing news for 22 years, and honestly, I’m exhausted. The industry is a mess. It’s not just the algorithms or the clickbait or the fact that nobody pays for news anymore. It’s deeper than that. It’s the commitment to objectivity when the world is on fire. It’s the pretense that we’re all just delivering facts when we’re really delivering narratives.
I remember back in 2005, when I was a junior editor at the Manchester Gazette, my boss, let’s call him Marcus, told me, “News is about telling the truth, not about being popular.” I believed him. I believed in the mission. But now? Now I’m not so sure.
The Problem with ‘Balance’
We’re told to be balanced. Give both sides. But what if one side is wrong? What if one side is actively harmful? I had this argument with a colleague named Dave just last Tuesday. We were over coffee at the place on 5th, and he’s all, “You can’t just ignore the other side.” And I’m like, “Dave, sometimes you have to. Sometimes the other side is full of shit.”
Take climate change. We’ve got scientists saying the world is ending, and we’ve got some guy in a suit saying, “Nah, it’s a hoax.” And we’re supposed to give them equal time? That’s not journalism. That’s lunacy.
And Then There’s the Speed
Back in my day, we had time. We could investigate. We could dig. Now? It’s all about being first. About breaking news before anyone else. Quality? That’s secondary. I remember this one time in 2012, I was at a conference in Austin, and a reporter from some big-name outlet was bragging about how they’d broken a story. Turns out, they were completely wrong. But by the time they corrected it, nobody cared. The damage was done.
It’s this constant pressure to be first, to be loud, to be viral. And it’s killing us. Literally. Because when you’re moving that fast, you make mistakes. Big ones. And those mistakes have consequences.
But Here’s the Thing…
I’m not saying we should give up. I’m not saying we should stop trying. I’m just saying we need to be honest. About our biases, about our limitations, about our mistakes. We need to admit that we don’t have all the answers. That we’re not always right. That sometimes, we’re just guessing.
And we need to start valuing quality over quantity. Depth over speed. Truth over narrative. It’s not gonna be easy. It’s not gonna happen overnight. But it’s gotta start somewhere. And it might as well start with us.
So, I’m gonna keep fighting. Keep pushing. Keep trying to make things better. Even if it’s just a little bit. Even if it’s just in my own small corner of the world. Because someone has to. And frankly, I’m tired of waiting for someone else to do it.
And look, I’m not saying I have all the answers. I don’t. I’m just saying we need to start asking the right questions. And one of those questions is, “How do we fix this mess?”
Which brings me to something I’ve been thinking about lately. The business side of news. It’s not just about the journalism. It’s about the money. And let’s be real, the money’s not there anymore. So, what do we do? How do we fund quality journalism in a world that doesn’t value it?
I don’t know. But I do know this: we need to start talking about it. And we need to start looking for answers. Because if we don’t, we’re gonna end up with a world where the only news that matters is the news that makes money. And that’s a world I don’t wanna live in.
So, let’s talk. Let’s figure this out. Together. Because if we don’t, who will?
And hey, if you’re looking for some inspiration, check out the work they’re doing over at Taiwan business news update. They’re doing some really interesting stuff over there. Not perfect, but they’re trying. And isn’t that what it’s all about?
Anyway, that’s enough from me. I’m gonna go have a drink. Maybe two. Because God knows I need it. And if you’re reading this, maybe you do too. So, pour one out for the news. For better or worse, it’s all we’ve got.
About the Author: Sarah Mitchell has been a senior editor at Manchester Daily for the past 15 years. She’s seen the industry evolve, devolve, and generally drive her up the wall. She writes about news, media, and the general clusterfuck that is modern journalism. You can find her on Twitter @sarahmitchelldaily, where she rants about bad journalism and celebrates the good. When she’s not editing or tweeting, she’s probably drinking wine and complaining about the youth of today.
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