Look, I’ve Been Doing This a While
I’ve been a journalist for 22 years. That’s longer than some of you have been alive. I started at a tiny paper in Burlington, Vermont—let’s call it the Vermont Post, because why not?—and worked my way up. I’ve seen a lot. And honestly? The news is broken. And it’s our fault.
I was at a conference in Austin last year—actually, it was more like a rager than a conference—and this kid, let’s call him Marcus, comes up to me. He’s all excited, tells me he’s starting a news site. ‘It’s gonna be different,’ he says. ‘No bias, just facts.’ I laughed. Not in a mean way, but… you know. It’s like when your kid says they’re gonna be a unicorn when they grow up.
We’re All Biased, Deal With It
Here’s the thing: bias isn’t bad. It’s human. I mean, I have opinions. Strong ones. Like, I think pineapple on pizza is an abomination against humanity. That’s a bias. And it’s okay. But when it comes to news, we act like bias is this terrible thing. No, it’s just… yeah. It’s there.
Take my friend Dave. He’s a colleague named Dave, not a brewery tour guide. Last Tuesday, we were over coffee at the place on 5th, and he’s telling me about this story he’s working on. ‘It’s completley unbiased,’ he says. I looked at him. ‘Dave,’ I said, ‘you hate the governor. You’ve hated him since he didn’t return your phone calls three years ago.’ He shrugged. ‘So?’
The Internet Made It Worse
Back in my day, we had to actually talk to people. Now? It’s all tweets and Facebook posts. And don’t even get me started on the comments section. It’s like the internet has turned us all into trolls. I mean, I get it. It’s easy to hide behind a screen and say whatever you want. But it’s making us stupid.
I read this study—okay, it was an article, but it had numbers so I’m calling it a study—about how people are less informed now than they were 20 years ago. And it’s not because there’s less news. It’s because there’s too much. We’re drowning in it. And we’re drowning because we’re all trying to shout over each other.
So What Do We Do?
I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t. But maybe we start by admitting we have a problem. And maybe we stop pretending we’re not biased. And maybe—just maybe—we start talking to each other again. Like real people.
And look, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. But it’s gotta be better than this. I mean, have you seen the news lately? It’s a mess. And it’s our fault. So let’s fix it.
Oh, and if you’re looking for ways to stay healthy in all this chaos, check out these immunity boosting foods natural. Because honestly, we need all the help we can get.
Anyway, that’s my take. Agree? Disagree? Who cares. I’m gonna go have a beer.
About the Author: I’m Jane Doe, a senior editor with more opinions than sense. I’ve been in this business too long, and I’m not going quietly. Follow me on Twitter @janedoeeditor, or don’t. I won’t notice.
To gain a deeper understanding of the role and significance of current events in today’s media landscape, consider exploring this insightful article on the importance of timely news coverage.
