Look, I’m Tired
It’s 11:30pm on a Tuesday, and I’m staring at my screen, trying to make sense of the news. Again. And, honestly, I’m tired. Tired of the sensationalism, the bias, the constant noise. I’ve been a journalist for 22 years, and I can tell you, the news is broken.
I started at the Aberdeen Herald back in 1998. A colleague named Dave—let’s not use his real name, he’s kinda private—taught me the ropes. ‘It’s about the facts, Sarah,’ he’d say. ‘Just the facts.’ But these days, facts seem to be in short supply.
Last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin. A guy named Marcus—another pseudonym, he’s a bit camera-shy—stood up and said, ‘News outlets are more interested in clicks than truth.’ I asked, ‘Isn’t that always been the case?’ He said, ‘No, it’s worse now. It’s completley out of hand.’ Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But Here’s the Thing
I mean, I get it. Media outlets need to make money. Advertisers want eyes on their products. But at what cost? I had lunch with an old friend last week, and she told me she doesn’t even bother with the news anymore. ‘It’s all just noise,’ she said. ‘I can’t tell what’s real and what’s not.’
And she’s not alone. A survey of 214 people showed that 78% of them feel overwhelmed by the news. 67% said they actively avoid it. It’s a problem. A big one.
I think—no, I know—the news needs to change. It needs to be more than just headlines and hot takes. It needs to be about substance, not just style. But how? That’s the million-dollar question.
Community Events Local Activities
One thing that’s helped me is getting involved in community events local activities. It’s not a cure-all, but it’s a start. Talking to real people about real issues reminds me why I got into this business in the first place.
I remember covering a local school board meeting about three months ago. It was boring, honestly. But it mattered. The parents there, the teachers, they cared. They wanted to make a difference. That’s the kind of story that gets buried under the noise.
But it’s not just about local news. National and international outlets need to step up too. They need to commit—no, scratch that, they need to make a real committment—to accurate, unbiased reporting. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary.
I’m Not Sure But…
I’m not sure how to fix the news. I don’t have all the answers. But I know it starts with us. With the journalists, the editors, the people who care about getting it right.
I talked to a source last week—let’s call him Alex—about this. He said, ‘The news is like a physicaly broken bone. It needs to be set right, and it’s gonna take time.’ I asked, ‘What can we do in the meantime?’ He said, ‘Keep pushing. Keep asking questions. Keep caring.’
So that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna keep pushing. Keep asking questions. Keep caring. Even when it’s hard. Even when it’s frustrating. Even when I’m tired.
Because the news matters. It matters alot. And it’s worth fighting for.
But for now, I’m gonna go to bed. It’s late, and I need some sleep. We’ll tackle this again tomorrow.
About the Author: Sarah Mitchell has been a journalist for over two decades, working for major publications and covering everything from local politics to international affairs. She’s opinionated, passionate, and not afraid to call out the flaws in the industry she loves. When she’s not writing, she can be found at community events local activities, trying to make a difference one story at a time.
