The News Is Broken, and I'm Tired of Pretending It's Not

Look, I Love Journalism. But...

I've been in this game for 22 years. Started as a beat reporter in some godforsaken town in Ohio. You know the type—one diner, one gas station, one newsroom that smelled like stale coffee and desperation. I'm Sarah Mitchell, by the way. Nice to meet ya.

I've seen alot change. The internet, social media, citizen journalists—whatever the hell that means. But one thing hasn't changed: the news is broken. And I'm tired of pretending it's not.

Last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin (yes, that Austin—where everyone's either a tech bro or a vegan food truck owner). A colleague named Dave leaned over during a panel and said, "Sarah, you gonna write about this?" I said, "Write what, Dave? That the news is a dumpster fire?" He laughed. "Yeah, that."

So here we are.

Let's Talk About Trust

Trust in media is at an all-time low. Like, physicaly low. I saw a stat last month—only 6% of people trust the news "a great deal." Six percent! That's worse than the committment rate of my ex-husband.

And why is that? Because we're not doing our jobs. We're chasing clicks, chasing virality, chasing whatever the hell will keep us employed. I mean, I get it. I've done it. Remember the time I wrote about a cat stuck in a tree? Yeah, that was me. But at what cost?

I was at a bar last night with a friend, let's call him Marcus. He said, "Sarah, you guys are just as bad as the politicians." I said, "What? No way." He said, "Yeah, way. You twist words, you spin stories, you only tell us what you want us to know." Which... yeah. Fair enough.

But it's not all our fault. The public, they don't read past the headlines. They don't fact-check. They just see a headline that confirms their biases and they're like, "Yep, that's true." And then they share it on Facebook. And then their grandma sees it and thinks the sky is falling.

The Algorithm Problem

Algorithms. Ugh. I hate them. They're like that one friend who always steals your fries but never orders their own meal. They're ruining everything.

I was talking to a source the other day—let's call him Greg—about this. He said, "Sarah, the algorithm is king. If it doesn't like your story, it buries it." I said, "So what, we just write what the algorithm wants?" He said, "Pretty much." I said, "That's depressing." He said, "Welcome to 2023."

And it's not just the big news outlets. It's everyone. Even the small blogs, the indie journalists, they're all chasing the algorithm. It's a never-ending cycle of clickbait and sensationalism.

I mean, I get it. I really do. I've written headlines that make me want to vomit. But, "property market trends update 2026"? Seriously? That's not a headline, that's a property market trends update 2026.

A Tangent: The Weather

Speaking of depressing, have you seen the weather lately? It's like Mother Nature is having a midlife crisis. One day it's 87 degrees, the next it's snowing. I was at the grocery store the other day and saw a guy wearing shorts and a winter coat. I said, "Sir, are you okay?" He said, "No, I'm not. I'm cold and hot at the same time." I said, "Welcome to climate change."

But I digress. The point is, the news is a mess. And the weather is a mess. And I'm a mess. We're all a mess.

What Can We Do?

So, what's the solution? I don't know. I wish I did. I wish I could snap my fingers and make everything better. But I can't. So, I'll just keep writing. Keep trying to make a difference. Keep hoping that someone, somewhere, reads what I write and thinks, "Hey, that's a good point."

And if not, well, at least I'll always have my cat. He's a great listener. Unlike some people I know.

Anyway, that's my rant. I'm gonna go drink some wine and watch bad TV. You know, the important things in life.

About the Author
Sarah Mitchell is a senior magazine editor with 22 years of experience. She's worked in various newsrooms across the country, from small-town Ohio to big-city Austin. She's written about everything from politics to pets, and she's not afraid to share her opinions. When she's not editing or writing, she's probably drinking wine and watching bad TV. You can find her on Twitter @SarahMitchellWrites.