News is big business, and it is not what it used to be. Breaking news. Top stories. Google News. Local news. Old news. Fake news. We continue to see a plethora of news platforms, and news is so current and timely that it is literally out of date within days—if not hours—of hitting the airways. It seems like just yesterday that Elon Musk was investing in solving world hunger for $6 billion. Fast forward a few weeks, and an entity wholly owned by Musk has now entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Twitter for (approximately) a mere $44 billion. Predicted-trillionaires move fast! Musk’s goal by taking Twitter private is to further embrace the platform for free speech. As an editor, I could not agree more.

There are countless podcasts turning up these days. This observation is interesting to consider, given that podcasts are by no means a new media. This old news is now new news, which is baffling as they seem so-two-decades-ago (at least what you might consider the modern version of the internet-based podcast).

However, whether we are talking about software, podcasts, or encyclopedias, the idea of society policing itself is an interesting approach to arriving at “truth.” Like other “open-source” platforms, podcasts allow virtually anyone who has a microphone to have a global stage, which can be quite fun! However, what’s lacking is the ability to verify the occasional self-aggrandizing performances that lack credibility and authenticity or, ultimately, proliferate fake news. This reminds us to be mindful of the old proverb: “Trust, but verify.” Even without a billionaire’s budget, that is our goal.

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