Ryan Holiday makes a very good case for how journalism is regressing. Since writers are paid based on how many clicks their articles get on the web, sensation drives the news, as it did in our rush to war with Spain in 1898.
In Holiday’s book, Trust Me, I’m Lying, he calls all news websites “blogs,” because they are all competing for the same attention span, and lowering their standards to do it.
I was expecting to not like this guy because of his annoying good looks and youth, not to mention his day job making the most obnoxious marketing ever. But he’s actually pretty smart and talented —so now I’m definitely jealous.
Brian Lehrer did a good interview with him on WNYC.