Breaking News?

After reading this article, I stopped to think about how much I, and others just like me, have made social media my primary source of information. Artemis II was not the only news story I kept up with over the last week. I heard lots about Dan Levy’s new show, “Big Mistakes”, Rory McIlroy’s repeat win at the Master’s, and the new baby elephant at the National Zoo. 

Despite the wide range of topics showing up on my feed daily, it feels like the delivery always follows the same pattern. I watch a short clip or read a headline that immediately grabs my attention, but I rarely stay long enough to gather the full story. While this version of the news might be fast and entertaining, it often lacks the depth to truly inform me on current events. When the topic comes up with friends or family, I come to the realization that despite every event I happened to scroll by that day, I retain very little of what I watched. 

journalism is not dying

Contrary to what you may hear, I do not think this shift means that traditional journalism is disappearing. There is, however, less control when it comes to how stories are told and understood. Staying up to date feels like it takes zero effort when all you have to do is move your thumb, but this comfort comes at the cost of not actually understanding what you are seeing. Moving forward, I want to challenge myself to be more intentional with where I tune in for the news and take the time to understand the whole story beyond a 15-second highlight reel. 

It is becoming clearer that the way we consume news is changing, and significantly so. What used to come solely from journalists is now frequently obtained from influencers, the algorithm, and whatever is trending online. A recent BBC article points out that social media has emerged as a primary news source in the U.S., especially among younger generations like me. Rather than tuning into the traditional news outlets, individuals are getting more and more of their news from short-form content, commentary from creators and highly curated feeds. 

I am aware of this shift from traditional news media all too well in my personal life. Nearly everything I watched and heard about Artemis II came from scrolling on TikTok and Instagram. I did not watch the takeoff on ABC, CBS, or NBC, nor did I keep up with the mission on any of those channels. Instead, I found myself consuming short clips throughout the 10-day journey on my socials, turning something literally out of this world into quick and easy-to-scroll-through content.