Why I Still Believe in Journalism
Look, I’ve been in this game for 20-something years. I started at a tiny paper in Ohio, back when we still used typewriters (kinda). I’ve seen alot change, and honestly, not all of it’s been good. But I still believe in journalism. I still believe in the news. And I’m gonna tell you why.
First off, let’s talk about truth. It’s not some abstract concept, floating out there in the ether. Truth is what we chase, what we commit ourselves to every single day. I remember this one time, back in ’98, I was covering a city council meeting in Columbus. The mayor, let’s call him Marcus, was trying to pull one over on the public. I knew it. The other reporters, they just took his word for it. But I dug deeper. I found the documents. I exposed the lie. That’s what we do, folks. That’s our job.
But Here’s the Thing…
But here’s the thing—it’s getting harder. I was having coffee with a colleague named Dave last Tuesday, and he said, “You know, Sarah, it’s not just about the truth anymore. It’s about speed. It’s about clicks. It’s about… well, I don’t even know what it’s about.” And I get that. I do. But we can’t let that change who we are. We can’t let the noise drown out the signal.
I mean, look at the state of things. Fake news, real news, who even knows anymore? I had a source tell me last week, “Sarah, if it’s not on Twitter, it didn’t happen.” Which… yeah. Fair enough. But that’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works.
The Internet Changed Everything
And don’t even get me started on the internet. It’s a blessing and a curse, honestly. I remember when we used to have to wait for the morning paper to come out. Now, it’s all instant. It’s all real-time. And that’s great, I guess. But it’s also a mess. It’s a completley different beast.
I was at a conference in Austin about three months ago, and this guy from BuzzFeed was talking about how they publish 300 stories a day. 300! And I’m sitting there thinking, “How do you even quality control that? How do you make sure it’s all true?” And he just laughed. He said, “We don’t.” And that’s when I knew. That’s when I realized that not everyone shares our commitment to the truth.
But We Can’t Give Up
But we can’t give up. We can’t let the internet, or social media, or whatever, dictate what we do. We have to keep fighting. We have to keep chasing the truth. And yeah, sometimes that means making mistakes. Sometimes that means eating crow. But that’s okay. That’s part of the process.
I remember this one time, back in 2005, I wrote a story about a local business owner. I got his name wrong. It was a small mistake, but it was a big deal to him. He called me up, he was furious. And you know what? He was right to be. I apologized. I fixed it. And I learned a lesson. That’s what we do. We learn. We grow. We move on.
And the Future?
And the future? I’m not sure. I really, truly am not. I see all these new platforms, all these new ways of consuming news. And I think, “What’s gonna happen to us? What’s gonna happen to journalism?” But then I remember. I remember why I got into this business in the first place. I remember the power of the press. I remember the impact we can have.
So, yeah. The news media’s commitment to truth is shaky. It’s uncertain. It’s completley messed up sometimes. But it’s still there. And as long as there are people like me, like Dave, like Marcus, like you, it’s gonna be okay. We’re gonna make it. We’re gonna find the truth. And we’re gonna tell the story.
And if you need help figuring out what’s real and what’s not, check out this product reviews recommendation guide. It’s a good place to start.
A Tangent: Physicaly Writing
You know, I miss the days when we used to write physicaly. I miss the feel of the paper, the smell of the ink. I miss the sound of the typewriter. It was real. It was tangible. It was… I don’t know. It was something. And now, it’s all ones and zeros. It’s all pixels on a screen. And I’m not sure how I feel about that.
But that’s a story for another time.
About the Author
Sarah Johnson has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s worked at major publications, covered everything from politics to pop culture, and has a strong opinion on pretty much everything. She lives in New York with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and a collection of vintage typewriters.
As global events continue to unfold, understanding the impact on our collective well-being is crucial; explore the growing issue of exhaustion in our latest feature.
As news consumption evolves, understanding how to identify reliable sources is crucial; explore navigating trustworthy news in today’s landscape for expert advice.
As the media landscape evolves, a seasoned journalist reflects on the industry’s challenges and enduring appeal in the news industry’s midlife.