To read, or not to read (the news)
I was on the way to a site visit with Kate (our managing director here at Faust), when we started talking about the way we consume the news. Both of us tap onto the BBC app on our phones pretty much first thing. We wake up bombarded by the headlines of the day, and we both agree that it’s getting us down.
At the moment, many of us will feel that spending any length of time amongst headline news is rough. Trump’s face is often the first I see in the mornings, and I brush my teeth whilst fretting about Elon Musk’s latest endorsement. I feel concern before I am fully awake.
As part of my role here at Faust, I monitor a few social media channels for clients daily. The odd hateful comment has started to appear on posts, now that Meta have relaxed their censorship guidelines. Paired with some hard-to-swallow current affairs, an aggressive comment from a Facebook user first thing on a Monday can really get to you.
As PRs, we deal in news. It’s our bread and butter. But consuming it constantly can be exhausting, especially when the headlines seem to bring more bad news than good. Yet, choosing not to engage with the news at all is a privilege. Nina Miyashita has written a great article on this for Refinery29, which I recommend anyone a read.
Not everyone has the option to tune out. For many, staying informed is crucial to their safety, livelihood, or ability to advocate for change. People in crisis rely on reporting to share their realities.
I’ve adopted a new principle: no news until I’ve had caffeine and been awake for at least half an hour. I still scroll through the headlines early on in the day, but I make sure I’ve gotten out of bed, put a brush through my hair and made a coffee beforehand. The bus is my preferred spot for news now, rather than my bed.
I’ve also subscribed to the Positive News’ weekly emailer – a roundup of what’s currently going right in the world. Quite rightly, they believe that too much bad news is bad for everyone.
At the end of the day, we owe it to ourselves – and to those who don’t have the luxury of looking away – to stay informed in a way that’s sustainable. We have access to so many news outlets, from the papers to social media. By choosing robust, reliable sources, and knowing when to say I’ve had enough for today, we can maintain a balanced relationship with what’s going on in the world.
Written by Ella Taylor