Let’s Talk About How Bad It’s Gotten
Okay, so I’ve been in this game for over 20 years. That’s right, I started back when newspapers still smelled like newsprint and we actually had to talk to people to get a story. I’m Sarah, by the way. Sarah Whitmore. And look, I love journalism. I really do. But honestly, the state of things? It’s a mess.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this guy—let’s call him Marcus—told me straight up, ‘Sarah, the news industry is dying.’ And I laughed. I mean, I laughed. But then I thought about it. And you know what? He’s not wrong.
It’s not just the obvious stuff. The layoffs, the shuttered papers, the fact that my nephew doesn’t even know what a ‘print subscription’ is. It’s deeper than that. It’s about the committment to truth. The physicaly act of reporting. The determing factor of actually giving a damn.
We’re All Just Reacting Anymore
Remember when journalists were the ones setting the agenda? When we’d actually dig into stories and uncover the truth? Yeah, me neither. Not anymore. Now? We’re all just reacting. To tweets. To press releases. To whatever viral nonsense happened last Tuesday at 11:30pm.
I had coffee with a colleague named Dave last week. He’s a good guy, been in the biz for 15 years. And he told me, ‘Sarah, I spend more time on Twitter than I do reporting.’ And I said, ‘Dave, that’s because you’re part of the problem.’
Look, I get it. The internet changed everything. But so what? We can’t just become parrots. We can’t just repeat what’s out there. We have to report it. There’s a difference.
And Don’t Even Get Me Started on the Outlets
I mean, come on. Some of these outlets? They’re worse than the tabloids. And I say that as someone who once worked for one. (Don’t ask.)
It’s not about being ‘fair and balanced.’ It’s about being honest. And honestly, most outlets aren’t. They’re either too scared or too lazy to actually do the work. They’d rather just regurgitate press releases and call it a day.
I had a source—let’s call him Greg—tell me last month, ‘Sarah, you’re one of the few journalists left who actually calls me for a story.’ And I asked, ‘Greg, what do you mean?’ And he said, ‘Most of them just email. And even then, it’s just to get a quote for something they’ve already written.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But There’s Hope, I Guess
Okay, so it’s not all doom and gloom. There are still good journalists out there. Doing good work. Fighting the good fight. But they’re few and far between.
And look, I’m not saying we should all just give up. We shouldn’t. But we should be smarter. We should be better. We should actually care about the truth again.
I mean, it’s not that hard. Talk to people. Actually report. Don’t just react. And for the love of god, stop using so many goddamn press releases as your source material.
And if you’re looking for actual news—like, you know, economic news developments update—you’re gonna have to dig. Because it’s not just gonna fall into your lap. You gotta work for it. Just like we used to.
A Tangent: The Death of Local News
Okay, so this isn’t exactly on topic, but whatever. I’m gonna say it anyway. Local news is dead. And it’s a tragedy. Because local news was the backbone of journalism. It was the stuff that actually mattered to people’s lives.
But now? It’s all just syndicated crap. Or worse, it’s just a platform for local politicians to grandstand. It’s sad. Really sad.
I remember when I started out, I worked for a local paper. And we actually cared about the community. We reported on the stuff that mattered. Not anymore. Now it’s all just clickbait and nonsense.
But hey, what do I know? I’m just some old lady who’s been in the game too long.
Anyway, I’m gonna stop ranting now. But seriously, the news is broken. And someone needs to fix it. Preferably before I retire.
About the Author: Sarah Whitmore has been a journalist for over 20 years. She’s worked for everything from small-town papers to major national outlets. She’s seen the industry change, and honestly, she’s not sure it’s for the better. But she’s still here, still fighting the good fight. You can find her on Twitter @sarahwhitmore, where she rants about journalism, politics, and the general state of the world.
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