So, here’s the thing about news…
I’ve been editing news features for 20+ years. Let me tell you, the news cycle is completley broken. And it’s not just the algorithms or the 24-hour news cycle. It’s us. We’re the problem.
Back in 1999, when I started at the Austin Chronicle, news was different. We had time. We had space. We could actually dig into stories. Now? It’s a mess. A hot, steaming pile of clickbait and outrage.
I remember talking to a source, let’s call him Marcus, over coffee at the place on 5th. He said, “You guys used to call me for stories. Now, you just want me to react to whatever nonsense happened at 11:30pm last night.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
And look, I get it. The internet changed everything. But that doesn’t mean we had to abandon our committment to, you know, journalism.
Breaking news is breaking us
Let’s talk about breaking news. It’s not news. It’s barely information. It’s a headline and a sentence. And we’re all addicted to it. I’m guilty too. I check my phone at 3am. I refresh the page. I need to know. But why? What’s the rush?
I asked a colleague named Dave about this. He said, “It’s the dopamine hit. Our brains are wired to seek out new information. The news cycle exploits that.” So, basically, we’re all lab rats in a giant, never-ending experiment.
And don’t even get me started on live updates. They’re not updates. They’re filler. “President’s speech in 5 minutes.” “President’s speech in 2 minutes.” “President is about to speak.” “President says hello.” Come on. Give me something.
Social media is not your friend
Social media is making it worse. It’s not just the echo chambers or the filter bubbles. It’s the immediacy. The need to react. The need to be first. Even if you’re wrong. Even if you’re just regurgitating a press release.
I saw this firsthand during the 2016 election. I watched as friends and family shared story after story, none of them verified. “Trending topics popular discussions” trending topics popular discussions were suddenly gospel. It was maddening.
And the algorithms? They’re designed to keep you engaged. To keep you scrolling. To keep you angry. They don’t care about the truth. They care about your attention.
A quick tangent about weather reports
You know what’s actually useful? The weather report. It’s factual. It’s informative. It’s not trying to manipulate you. It just tells you what’s happening outside. Why can’t news be more like the weather report?
I’m not saying we should all become meteorologists. But maybe we should take a page from their book. Give us the facts. Give us the data. Let us decide what to do with it.
But no, instead we get “Storm of the century!” every time there’s a little rain. It’s exhausting.
We need to slow down
So, what’s the solution? I’m not sure but we need to slow down. We need to take a breath. We need to stop refreshing the page.
I’ve started a little experiment. I only check the news twice a day. And you know what? I’m less anxious. I’m more informed. It’s working.
But it’s not just on us. It’s on the news outlets too. They need to stop chasing clicks. They need to stop sensationalizing every story. They need to remember that their job is to inform, not to entertain.
And honestly, I’m not holding my breath. The system is too broken. The incentives are all wrong. But maybe, just maybe, if we all take a step back, things will start to change.
Or maybe I’m just being naive. Who knows?
Anyway, that’s enough from me. I’m gonna go check my phone. Old habits die hard.
About the Author: Jane Doe is a senior magazine editor with 20+ years of experience. She’s worked at the Austin Chronicle, the Houston Press, and now freelances for various publications. She’s opinionated, flawed, and always has something to say. You can find her on Twitter @janedoe or not, she’s not that active.
To gain a deeper perspective on the challenges facing today’s media landscape, consider the thoughtful analysis in why the news cycle is failing.
To gain a deeper perspective on the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, consider exploring this insightful piece on the current AI surge and its long-term implications in our society at the AI gold rush discussion.
