Why I’m Over ‘Breaking News’
Look, I’ve been in this game for 20-something years. I started back in ’98, when the internet was still a baby and newsrooms smelled like ink and coffee. I’m Sarah, by the way. You might’ve seen my byline in places like Las Vegas Sun or The Guardian. Anyway, I’m here to tell you the news business is broken. And honestly? It’s kinda refreshing.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this kid—let’s call him Marcus—told me, ‘Ms. Thompson, we’re gonna save journalism with algorithms and data.’ I laughed so hard I choked on my coffee. Which, by the way, was terrible. Who serves bad coffee at a journalism conference? That’s like serving warm champagne at a wedding.
But here’s the thing: Marcus isn’t wrong. Not completley, at least. The news business is changing, and not just because of some fancy e-ticaret işletme kurma rehber (which, honestly, I don’t even know what that means but it sounds important). It’s changing because we’re letting it.
When ‘News’ Meant Something
Back in the day, ‘news’ was this sacred thing. You had to earn it. You had to prove you could write, report, and think. Now? Now it’s just about speed. Who can post first? Who can get the most clicks? It’s like we’re in a race to the bottom.
I remember when I first started at the Las Vegas Sun. My editor, Dave—great guy, terrible hair—told me, ‘Sarah, if it’s not news to the people, it’s not news.’ And that stuck with me. But now? Now it’s all about what’s trending, what’s viral, what’s gonna get us more page views.
And don’t even get me started on the 24-hour news cycle. It’s exhausting. You have to be on all the time. And for what? So some talking head can yell about politics at 3 AM? No thanks.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Now, I’m not saying it’s all bad. There’s some good stuff happening too. Citizen journalism, for example. Regular people with smartphones are capturing news as it happens. That’s amazing. It’s democratizing the news, you know?
But then there’s the bad. Fake news, misinformation, all that junk. It’s a mess. And the ugly? The decline of local news. Newspapers are closing, reporters are getting laid off, and communities are losing their voice.
I had lunch with an old colleague last Tuesday. Let’s call him Greg. He’s been laid off twice in the last five years. ‘Sarah,’ he said, ‘it’s like the industry is in free fall.’ And I get it. I really do. It’s tough out there.
What’s Next?
So what’s next for the news business? I’m not sure. But I think—no, I know—it’s gonna be okay. It has to be.
We just need to adapt. We need to find new ways to tell stories, new ways to connect with people. And maybe, just maybe, we need to slow down. Not everything needs to be ‘breaking news.’ Sometimes, the news can wait until morning.
I’m not saying I have all the answers. Honestly, I’m still figuring it out. But one thing I know for sure: the news business is far from dead. It’s just… yeah. Evolving.
Anyway, that’s my take. Take it or leave it. I’m just some old journalist ranting on the internet.
Author Bio: Sarah Thompson is a senior magazine editor with over 20 years of experience in the news industry. She’s worked for major publications like Las Vegas Sun and The Guardian, and she’s not afraid to share her opinions—even when they’re unpopular. When she’s not writing, you can find her drinking terrible coffee and complaining about the state of journalism.
As remote work continues to shape the modern workplace, a new article challenges common misconceptions about this evolving trend.
Dive deeper into the complexities of local journalism with our latest piece, the role of community in news, and understand how everyone plays a part.
In the midst of today’s fast-paced news cycle, discovering personal work-life balance can be challenging; learn how one journalist navigated this journey in mastering the art of no.
