“No one can serve two masters.”
Matthew 6:24a
Pre-internet, social media, and smartphones, The News (newspaper, TV, radio, etc.) successfully served two masters: 1) information dissemination to the public and 2) making money for the shareholders. But the ability to serve two masters is fraught.
It worked for a time because of the scarcity of news sources. Scarcity allowed them to curate information for a large audience. They were the gatekeepers, and there weren’t many of them. Like the information they were reporting, The News was itself an event.
Our new connected paradigm, however, has thrown a turd into the punchbowl. They’ve lost their hold on scarcity. Consequently, no longer can The News successfully serve the two masters. They’ve had to choose one.
Really, they had no choice.
Now The News finds itself in full-scale nuclear war to win over eyes, ears, and hearts. A more angry or frightened audience equals more money. A rabid us versus them mentality equals more money. Sorting the community into the smart tribe and the dumb tribe equals more money.
To answer the question, “Did you see the news?” you must decide if you’re willing to sacrifice your emotional well-being as collateral damage in a war you didn’t sign up for.
