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Something needs to change about this industry's obsession with sensationalist journalism. If this industry is truly as forward-thinking and progressive as it is

by kyro 13y ago

Something needs to change about this industry's obsession with sensationalist journalism. If this industry is truly as forward-thinking and progressive as it is, and hopes to make strides in issues like gender/minority equality, then we need to build defenses against severely twisted, unfounded, and intentionally heinous hit-pieces by nobody bloggers who are trying to break into the industry by being edgy and aggressively opinionated. The discussion about women in startups has completely come to a halt now and has shifted to discussing whether Paul Graham is a sexist. The most sickening part of this whole ordeal? That these shit-stirring "journalists" are praised and said to have some sort of talent by their respective circles for knowing how to "shake things up," and their higher-ups want nothing more but for them to continue.

MBCook 13y ago
> Something needs to change about this industry's obsession with sensationalist journalism. I don't think there is anything wrong with this industry. This seems to be how most 'news' is made these days. I'm guessing that people who closely follow a non-technical industry have seen similar sensationalism on other issues.
- kyro 13y ago
  Agreed, this isn't specific to this industry. In fact, most humans flock to this sort of journalism. It's how gossip rags make their money. But this industry is more forward-thinking and adept to rapidly changing than most, and is most capable of making progress in workplace equality, among other issues. To let trashy journalism get in the way to the point that it has is to severely hinder the potential for change.
jeffdavis 13y ago
I think a lot of it has to do with the amount of experience the readership has to this kind of "journalism". Sensationalist and highly opinionated journalism loses its impact on individuals over a few years of exposure. After a while, people start to realize that such things are almost never the full story, and you need to wait for more information and analysis to come forward before forming an opinion of your own. The reason this kind of journalism works is simple: because there is a steady supply of new people who aren't resistant to it yet.

by kyro 13y ago

MBCook 13y ago

> Something needs to change about this industry's obsession with sensationalist journalism. I don't think there is anything wrong with this industry. This seems to be how most 'news' is made these days. I'm guessing that people who closely follow a non-technical industry have seen similar sensationalism on other issues.

kyro 13y ago
Agreed, this isn't specific to this industry. In fact, most humans flock to this sort of journalism. It's how gossip rags make their money. But this industry is more forward-thinking and adept to rapidly changing than most, and is most capable of making progress in workplace equality, among other issues. To let trashy journalism get in the way to the point that it has is to severely hinder the potential for change.

jeffdavis 13y ago

I think a lot of it has to do with the amount of experience the readership has to this kind of "journalism". Sensationalist and highly opinionated journalism loses its impact on individuals over a few years of exposure. After a while, people start to realize that such things are almost never the full story, and you need to wait for more information and analysis to come forward before forming an opinion of your own. The reason this kind of journalism works is simple: because there is a steady supply of new people who aren't resistant to it yet.