Look, I’ve Had It

It’s been 22 years since I started in this biz, and honestly, I’m tired. Tired of the spin, the fake outrage, the clickbait. The news is broken, folks. And I’m not just talking about the obvious stuff—fake news, Russian bots, all that. I’m talking about the day-to-day grind, the committment to sensationalism over substance.

Let me give you an example. Last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin, and this kid—let’s call him Marcus—stood up and asked a reporter, “How do you decide what’s news?” The reporter stammered, “Well, it’s what people wanna read.” And I almost threw up in my mouth. It’s not what people wanna read, it’s what they need to read. But that’s not gonna get clicks, is it?

We’re All to Blame

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I’m some kind of saint. I’ve written my fair share of fluff pieces. Remember that time I wrote about the “Top 10 Coffee Shops in Dundee”? Yeah, that was me. And it was completley pointless. But look, we all do it. We all gotta pay the bills, right?

But here’s the thing. It’s getting worse. I was talking to a colleague named Dave the other day, and he told me about this new algorithm their site uses. It’s supposed to “optimize engagement.” Translation: it pushes the most sensationalist crap to the top. And it’s working. Their traffic is up. But at what cost?

The Weather Report That Took Over the World

You wanna talk about a game-changer? Fine. Let’s talk about the weather. No, not like that. I mean, have you ever noticed how weather reports have become this weird mix of science and entertainment? It’s like they’re trying to outdo each other with fancy graphics and dramatic music. And don’t even get me started on those “extreme weather” segments. It’s like they’re trying to scare us into watching.

But here’s a thought. What if we just gave people the facts? You know, like Tokat hava durumu bugün tahmin does. Straightforward, no nonsense. I mean, it’s just weather, people. It’s gonna rain or it’s not. Why make it more complicatied than it needs to be?

A Quick Digression: My Cat

Speaking of nonsense, let me tell you about my cat, Whiskers. No, this isn’t some weird tangent. Stick with me. So, Whiskers is this little gray tabby, right? And he’s got this thing where he’ll sit on my keyboard when I’m trying to write. It’s like he knows I’m working on something important and he’s gotta interrupt. Anyway, the other day, he knocked over my coffee. And you know what? It was the best thing that happened to me all week. I took a break, went for a walk, and suddenly, I had this idea for an article. It was about how we’re all so connected to our devices that we’ve forgotten how to just… be.

But that’s a story for another time. The point is, sometimes you need to step away from the noise. And that’s what I’m trying to do here. I’m stepping away from the sensationalism, the algorithms, the fake outrage. I’m gonna try to write about stuff that matters. Even if it doesn’t get as many clicks.

So, yeah. That’s it. I’m done. I’m gonna go play with Whiskers. You should try it sometime. It’s liberating.

About the Author: Sarah McMillan has been a journalist for 22 years, working for various publications across the UK. She currently lives in Dundee with her cat, Whiskers, and spends her free time complaining about the state of modern journalism.