It seems like journalism is dying in this day and age. Technology is allowing everyone to publish something online: you and me, online news feeds, and even that kid down the street who can kick my ass in Call of Duty or any FPS game on the market nowadays. The ability to publish to the web is really easy all you need is an account with Twitter, Facebook, or a blogger and voila: you’re an online author where the Internet is your audience.
I hate to say it, but I don’t like it. Not the part where anyone can say anything. Not because I’m tired of seeing a never ending feed of pictures with cats with something whitty in that same font everywhere. Not even the people who feel like they have to Tweet every second of their life…seriously. Everyone should have the option to publish absolutely anything online and it is my responsibility to control what gets fed into my brain.
The part I really hate is that journalism today is that it’s a little quotey. They’ll quote anyone, seriously…anyone. I mean c’mon, where’s the responsible journalism? I don’t care what luvangel1987 (I made it up, hehe) has to say about what’s going on in the Middle East. I want to know what’s going on in the Middle East, so tell report on that, not the opinions and knee-jerk blurbs from random people around the Internet, especially that kid down the street.
I’m not going to cite a billion examples, I’m sure you can find them on the many 24-hour news channels and the quick click-to-publish news websites. I’m just really tired of it. I don’t care if you published it before everyone else on the Internet, that’s not what I enjoy reading. I don’t want my local news, CNN, or (dare I say it) Fox news to tell me who they follow or read and find interesting enough to quote about a story they’re covering. I want expect the professional publishers, through any medium, to do it professionally. It’s not a first-in-wins mentality, it’s quality that will keep me coming back. Yeah, it might have bias, but what isn’t? At least you’re not reporting your bias on someone else’s bias.
I can’t say it more clearly, but seriously, just give me the news and stop reporting your favorite items from your “Following” list or your blogroll. Oh yeah, and just because you can use the latest multi-touch screen application during your newscast does not make you cooler, more informative, or make me more interested. That could be an entirely seperate post I won’t write about.
What made me tick and barf out this post? On Cy-Fair Homestead Exemptions
Ericka Mellon, you made a really dry article sandwich. The outside bread was pretty good, the kind with sesame seed buns and toasted a little with butter, but you just used five pounds of bad meat cooked too dry with no ketchup or mayonnaise. No vegetables, nothing! Blech!
Aw man, now I made myself hungry, GAH!