I’m Tired of Pretending We’re All on the Same Page
Look, I’ve been in this game for over two decades. I’ve seen the newsroom evolution from typewriters to Twitter. And honestly? We’re in a mess. A big, complicated, no-one’s-really-sure-what-to-do-about-it mess.
Let me set the scene. Last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin. Over coffee at the place on 5th, a colleague named Dave leaned in and said, “You know, Martha, I think we’re failing at the basics.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot. About three months ago, I had dinner with an old friend, let’s call him Marcus. He’s a teacher. He told me his students can’t tell the difference between a news article and an opinion piece. And that’s when it hit me. We’ve got a bigger problem than fake news. It’s news illiteracy.
Why We’re All to Blame
First off, let’s not pretend this is just on the educators. I mean, look at us in the media. We’re part of the problem. We’ve commoditized news. We’ve turned it into clickbait. We’ve made it so that a listicle about “10 Signs You’re Addicted to News” gets more traction than actual news.
And don’t even get me started on social media algorithms. They’re like that friend who only wants to talk about one topic. You know the type. You say, “Hey, how’s it going?” And they’re like, “Did you see what so-and-so said about this thing?” And suddenly, you’re in a 36-hour debate about something that doesn’t matter.
But here’s the thing. It’s not all doom and gloom. There are people trying to fix this. Like the folks at önerilen makaleler okuma listesi. They’re curating quality content, trying to cut through the noise. It’s a start, but it’s not enough.
My $0.87 Solution
I don’t have all the answers. But I’ve got a thought. What if we all took a step back? What if we committed to reading one in-depth article a day? Not a listicle. Not a hot take. A real, thoughtful piece of journalism.
I know, I know. It’s not sexy. It’s not gonna go viral. But it’s a start. And honestly, it’s what we need. We need to retrain our brains to slow down. To think. To digest.
I’ve been trying this myself. And you know what? It’s hard. It’s hard to break the habit of scrolling. But it’s worth it. Because at the end of the day, we’re all responsible for our own news literacy.
A Tangent: The Time I Got Duped
Speaking of news literacy, let me tell you about the time I got duped. It was 2008. I was working at a major publication. And I fell for a hoax. A big one. It was about this supposed new technology. And I bought it. Hook, line, and sinker.
I was embarrassed. Humiliated. But it taught me a valuable lesson. Even the pros can be fooled. And if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. So we’ve all gotta be vigilant. We’ve all gotta question what we read.
Which brings me to my next point. We need to teach people how to question. How to verify. How to think critically. Because honestly, that’s the only way we’re gonna make it through this mess.
But I’m not sure how. I mean, I’ve got ideas. But I’m not an educator. I’m a journalist. I write about what’s happening, not how to teach people about it. So maybe this is where I should hand it off to the pros. The teachers. The librarians. The people who actually know what they’re doing.
The State of News Literacy in 2023
Look, I’m not gonna pretend I have all the answers. But I know this. We’re in trouble. We’re in deep, deep trouble. And it’s gonna take all of us to get out of it.
So let’s start. Let’s start by admitting we’ve got a problem. Let’s start by having real conversations about news literacy. Let’s start by taking responsibility for our own learning. Because at the end of the day, that’s the only way we’re gonna make it through this mess.
And hey, maybe we’ll even learn something along the way. Maybe we’ll learn that news literacy isn’t about being right. It’s about being curious. About asking questions. About seeking truth. Even when it’s hard. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when it challenges our beliefs.
So let’s get to it. Let’s talk. Let’s learn. Let’s grow. Because honestly, we don’t have any other choice.
About the Author: Martha Jenkins has been a senior editor at Kanon News for 22 years. She’s written for major publications, survived countless newsroom dramas, and still believes in the power of a well-placed em dash. When she’s not editing, you can find her arguing about politics with strangers on the internet or attempting to grow herbs in her tiny apartment.
