Why I’m Tired of Fake Outrage
Look, I’ve been in this business for 22 years. Twenty-two. That’s a long time to watch the news suck.
I remember back in ’99, when I was a wet-behind-the-ears reporter at the Burlington Gazette, my editor, let’s call him Marcus, told me, “Linda, the news isn’t about what’s happening. It’s about what people think is happening.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But this? This current state of affairs? It’s completley out of hand. Every little thing is a scandal. Every minor disagreement is a crisis. And don’t even get me started on the 24-hour news cycle.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this producer from CNN—okay, fine, it was MSNBC—told me, “Linda, ratings are up! People are engaged!” And I said, “Yeah, but at what cost?”
It’s like everyone’s forgotten how to have a conversation. It’s all just shouting and finger-pointing. And the worst part? It’s working. People are lapping this stuff up like it’s the last drop of water in the desert.
I mean, take the other day. I’m scrolling through my feed, and there’s this subscription box review comparison—which honestly nobody asked for but here we are—and right next to it, there’s some pundit losing his mind over a tweet some politician sent at 11:30pm. And I’m just sitting there, thinking, “Is this really what we’ve become?”
And don’t even get me started on the so-called “experts.” I was having coffee with a friend last Tuesday—let’s call him Dave—and he said, “Linda, you remember when experts were, you know, actual experts?” And I said, “Dave, I miss those days too.”
Now it’s just a bunch of talking heads with strong opinions and no facts. And the media? They’re worse than ever. They’re not reporting the news; they’re manufacturing it. It’s all just a big game to them. A game with real consequences.
I remember back in 2008, during the financial crisis, I was at a bar with a bunch of journalists. And we were all just shaking our heads, thinking, “How did we get here?” And then one of them turned to me and said, “Linda, this is what happens when the news becomes entertainment.”
And honestly? He was right. The news is entertainment now. It’s all about ratings and clicks and engagement. And the truth? The truth is just collateral damage.
I’m not saying there aren’t good journalists out there. There are. But they’re drowning in a sea of noise. And the worst part? Nobody seems to care. People would rather watch a viral video of a cat than a 30-minute report on the acquision of a major company.
And the physicaly act of reading? Forget about it. People would rather watch a 30-second TikTok than read a 500-word article. And the media? They’re more than happy to oblige. Because, you know, ratings.
I’m not sure what the answer is. I mean, I have ideas. But honestly, it’s depressing. It’s depressing to think that the news—the thing that’s supposed to inform us, that’s supposed to hold power to account—has become a joke.
But hey, what do I know? I’m just some old lady who’s been in the business too long. Maybe the kids are right. Maybe this is the future. Maybe I’m just too old to understand.
But I don’t think so. I think the news is broken. And until someone fixes it, we’re all just along for the ride.
About the Author
Linda Harper has been a journalist for over two decades, working for major publications and covering everything from local politics to international affairs. She currently writes for BurbNews.com and lives in a small town in Vermont with her dog, Max. She is a staunch advocate for ethical journalism and will rant about the state of the news industry for hours if you let her.
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