Americans are Flocking Away from News
Instead of fighting for you, Big Media is fighting for rage addicts.
If you’re following the news less closely than you used to, you’re in good company. There’s been a massive drop in news consumption nationwide.
In the new episode, I take you through what’s been happening. It’s about much more than an industry. It's about the role of truth telling in our society. It's about people who should be fighting for you—who chose that mission—turning their backs on you.
Imagine you run a news agency. You see that the public is fed up after years of journalistic failures. You have two choices:
Win people back the right way. Earn their trust by delivering facts plus context.
Make the problem worse. Appeal to radicalized people by delivering more lies and extreme headlines.
You might think the right choice is obvious. You’d be right. But short-term thinking and desperation lead people to make bad decisions. Option #1 can build a loyal, much bigger audience over time. Option #2 can spike click-rates that day by handing radicalized groups fresh fuel for their fire.
News executives are choosing the quick hit over the long-term success of the business — and the long-term health of the country. Instead of fighting for you, they’re fighting for the shrinking group of people addicted to rage content.
A study by the Max Planck Institute found headlines have gotten more negative and focused on clickbait “regardless of journalistic quality.” Another, by More in Common, found that people who spend more time on the news often end up more misinformed on crucial topics.
Americans want the truth from the news. But they’re not getting it. Obviously.
We need new warriors who will take up the mantle. In the 100th episode (!), I discuss how we can make that happen.
Supporters: Share thoughts, questions, links you want fact checked, and more!
JL
P.S. ICYMI: