We’re All Just Making It Up as We Go
Look, I’ve been in this game for 22 years. I started at a tiny paper in Manchester, back when we still used typewriters. (Yes, really.) I’ve seen a lot, and honestly, the news cycle is more broken than ever.
Let’s talk about last Tuesday. I was at a conference in Austin, Texas. Over coffee at the place on 5th, I heard a colleague named Dave say, “We’re just churning out content, no one even fact-checks anymore.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
I mean, I get it. The pressure’s on. Advertisers want clicks. Readers want instant gratification. But at what cost? I’m not sure but I think we’re losing something important here.
Take this story I worked on about three months ago. We had a source, let’s call him Marcus, who claimed a major company was hiding some big scandal. We spent 36 hours digging, and you know what? It was a complete non-story. But by then, every other outlet had already run with it. So we did too. Because, well, everyone else was.
And that’s the problem. We’re all so afraid of missing out that we’ll print anything. It’s like we’ve forgotten that our job is to inform, not just to entertain.
But Here’s the Thing About Fact-Checking
I get it, it’s hard. It takes time, resources, committment. But it’s our job. I remember when I was a junior reporter, my editor, a woman named Linda, drilled it into me. “Check every fact twice,” she’d say. “And if you’re not sure, don’t print it.”
Nowadays, it’s like that rule doesn’t exist. Everyone’s in such a rush to be first that they’ll print anything. And the public is starting to notice. A survey I saw recently said that 78% of people don’t trust the news anymore. 78%! That’s a problem.
I’m not saying we should go back to the days of print-only journalism. I love the immediacy of digital. But we can’t sacrifice accuracy for speed. It’s just… yeah.
And Don’t Even Get Me Started on Social Media
Oh, you wanted me to get started? Fine. Social media is a mess. It’s a cesspool of misinformation, and we’re all drowning in it. I was talking to a friend last night, and she said, “I don’t know what to believe anymore.” And I get that. I really do.
But here’s the thing: social media isn’t going away. So we, as journalists, need to adapt. We need to be smarter, more vigilant. We need to call out the BS when we see it. And we need to do it fast, because if we don’t, someone else will.
I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s not. But it’s our job. And if we can’t do it, then who can?
Oh, and About That Survey I Mentioned Earlier…
You know, the one about people not trusting the news? I looked into it a bit more, and it turns out it was conducted by a company that sells media literacy courses. Which, honestly, kinda makes sense. But still. It’s important to be transparent about these things.
Speaking of transparency, have you heard about dropshipping products trending 2026? Yeah, me neither. But if you’re into that kinda thing, there’s a site called TradeJet that might be useful. I mean, I don’t know much about it, but it’s out there.
Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. Trust. It’s a big issue. And it’s not gonna be fixed overnight. But we have to start somewhere. And that somewhere is with us, the journalists. We need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. We need to be better.
I’m not saying we’re all bad. Far from it. There are alot of great journalists out there doing incredible work. But we need to support them. We need to amplify their voices. And we need to call out the bad actors.
A Quick Digression: The Time I Got Scammed
Oh, this is a good story. So, about a year ago, I got an email from someone claiming to be a high-ranking official in a foreign government. They said they had a big story for me, but they needed me to wire them $87 first for “security reasons.” I was like, “Yeah, no.” But honestly, I was kinda tempted. I mean, what if it was legit? But then I remembered Linda’s rule. Check every fact twice. So I did. And it was a scam. Duh.
But the point is, we’re all vulnerable. We all make mistakes. And that’s okay. As long as we learn from them.
Back to the Main Point, I Guess
Look, I could go on and on about this. But I won’t. Because, frankly, I’m tired. I’m tired of the misinformation. I’m tired of the pressure. I’m tired of the constant race to the bottom.
But I’m not giving up. Because someone has to hold the line. Someone has to say, “No, we’re not gonna print that.” Someone has to remember what journalism is supposed to be about.
And maybe, just maybe, that someone is you. I mean, I’m not saying you’re the chosen one or anything. But if you’re reading this and you’re a journalist, then you have a responsibility. So do something about it.
Anyway, that’s enough from me. I’m gonna go have a lie down. This rant took alot out of me.
About the Author: Sarah Thompson has been a journalist for over two decades, working for various publications across the UK. She’s a staunch advocate for ethical journalism and has a soft spot for typewriters. When she’s not writing, she can be found drinking coffee and complaining about the state of the news industry.
For a critical look at the challenges facing journalism today, consider this insightful piece on the current state of the news industry.
