We’ve Got a Problem, Folks
Look, I’ve been in this biz since the ’90s. I started out as a beat reporter in some godforsaken town in Ohio. Now I’m editing for a major publication. And let me tell you, the news is broken. It’s completley messed up. And I’m not just talking about the obvious stuff. The bias. The sensationalism. The clickbait. I’m talking about the fundamentals.
Last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin. Over coffee at this place on 5th, I was talking to a colleague named Dave. He said, “You know, Martha, we’re failing. We’re failing at our jobs.” And I said, “Dave, you’re damn right.”
We’re failing because we’re not telling stories. We’re telling soundbites. We’re not informing. We’re entertaining. And that’s not our job. It’s not what we’re supposed to do.
But What Can We Do?
I’m not sure. Honestly, I’m not. I mean, I have ideas. But ideas are cheap. Execution is everything. And right now, we’re failing at execution. We’re failing at committment. We’re failing at, well, everything.
Take local news. It’s a disaster. I was talking to a friend last night. Let’s call him Marcus. He’s a reporter in Vermont. He said, “Martha, we’re down to, like, 12 people in the newsroom. 12! And we’re expected to cover, I dunno, 15 towns? It’s impossible.” And he’s right. It is impossible.
But here’s the thing. It’s not just about resources. It’s about priorities. We’re prioritizing the wrong things. We’re prioritizing virality over veracity. And that’s a problem.
And Don’t Even Get Me Started on Social Media
I’m not gonna lie. I’m old. I’m old and I’m cranky. And I hate social media. I hate what it’s done to our industry. I hate how it’s turned us into click-whores. I hate how it’s turned news into a commodity.
But I’m not gonna rant. I’m gonna talk about solutions. Or at least, I’m gonna try. Because, look, I’m not an idiot. I know social media is here to stay. I know we gotta use it. But we gotta use it right.
We gotta stop chasing algorithms. We gotta stop trying to game the system. We gotta start focusing on what matters. On telling stories. On informing. On, you know, doing our jobs.
And, honestly, I think we can. I think we can do better. I think we can be better. But it’s gonna take work. It’s gonna take committment. It’s gonna take, well, everything.
But What About the Audiences?
I’m not gonna pretend I have all the answers. I don’t. But I do know this. We need to educate our audiences. We need to teach them what news is. What it isn’t. We need to teach them how to consume it. How to think critically about it.
And, look, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. It’s not. But it’s necessary. It’s essential. It’s, well, it’s our job.
I’m not sure how we do it. I’m not sure what the first step is. But I know it starts with us. With journalists. With editors. With, well, with people who give a damn.
So, look, I’m gonna end this here. I’m gonna end it because I’m tired. I’m tired of talking. I’m tired of thinking. I’m tired of, well, everything. But I’m not tired of caring. I’m not tired of wanting to make a difference. And I’m not tired of believing that we can. That we can be better. That we can do better.
So, look, that’s it. That’s my take. That’s my rant. That’s, well, that’s me. And I’m okay with that. I’m okay with being imperfect. I’m okay with being flawed. I’m okay with being, well, human.
Oh, and if you’re looking for stuff to do in Vermont, check out the Vermont entertainment events agenda. It’s a great resource. And it’s run by some really good people. People who care. People who, well, people who get it.
Author Bio: Martha Jenkins has been a journalist for over 25 years. She’s worked as a beat reporter, a foreign correspondent, and now, a senior editor. She’s won awards. She’s been fired. She’s been everything in between. She’s opinionated. She’s flawed. She’s human. And she’s not afraid to say what she thinks. Even if it gets her in trouble.
