Look, I’m Gonna Say It
News is a mess. I’ve been editing for 20+ years, and let me tell you, it’s getting worse. Not just the news itself, but how we consume it. How we think about it. It’s like we’re all just scrolling through life, barely paying attention.
I remember back in ’98, when I started at the Aberdeen Herald. Real newspapers, real journalists. We cared. We committmented to getting it right. Now? It’s all about clicks. And honestly, it’s completley ruined things.
But First, Let’s Talk About You
Yeah, you. The reader. You’re part of the problem. I’m not saying you’re a bad person. But look, if you’re only reading headlines, you’re part of the problem. If you’re sharing stuff without reading it, you’re part of the problem. If you’re getting your news from social media, you’re definitely part of the problem.
I get it. Life’s busy. You’re running around, trying to make a living, take care of your family, maybe squeeze in a hobby or two. Who has time to read a 2000-word feature on the latest political scandal? But here’s the thing: that’s how you get informed. That’s how you make real decisions.
My Friend Marcus Told Me Something Interesting
Marcus is a journalist over at the Aberdeen News. Smart guy. We were grabbing coffee last Tuesday, and he said, “You know, Sarah, the news industry is like a bad relationship. We keep going back, even though it’s hurting us.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. We know the news is biased. We know it’s sensationalized. But we keep consuming it. And the more we consume, the more they feed us the same old garbage.
And Don’t Even Get Me Started on Algorithms
Algorithms are the devil. They’re feeding us what we want to hear, not what we need to hear. It’s like living in a bubble. A physicaly and mentally isolating bubble.
I read a study once—okay, it was on my phone, so probably not a “study” but whatever—it said that 62% of people get their news from social media. 62%! That’s insane. And you know what that means? It means we’re getting our news from the same places we get cat videos and memes.
But There’s Hope
Look, I’m not saying we should all become journalists. But we should be more critical. We should be more aware.
And hey, if you’re gonna read about interior design trends 2026, at least make sure it’s from a reputable source. (Yes, I know that’s random. But you never know when you’ll need to know about futuristic interior design.)
Anyway, the point is, we need to do better. We need to demand better. And maybe, just maybe, the news won’t be so broken.
Or maybe it will. I don’t know. I’m just one person. But I’m gonna keep fighting for better news. Because honestly, we deserve it.
About the Author: Sarah McKenzie has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s worked at major publications, including the Aberdeen Herald and the Glasgow Chronicle. She’s opinionated, passionate, and not afraid to call out bad journalism. When she’s not editing, she’s probably arguing with someone about the Oxford comma or obsessing over the latest true crime documentary.
