History Repeats Itself

History Repeats Itself
by Rachel Hubbard

In late 2025, we crossed the Rubicon in the way most Americans get their information. A study from the Pew Research Center shows 54 percent of people now get their news from social media, a platform that is being rapidly taken over by ‘good enough’ content that is cheap to produce with AI. This content rarely follows the most basic of journalism standards, and it is commonly called ‘slop’.

This period of intense disruption around the information we consume probably resembles the early days after the printing press became widely accessible. It quickly became relatively cheap and easy for anyone to set up a newspaper and represent as a journalist. I cannot imagine the panic that probably ensued among those who had historically maintained control of information and the standards of journalism.

Then again, I can imagine it. I began my career in journalism during a time when the standards were black and white. All stories followed the inverted pyramid and people had attention spans longer than that of a gnat.

In 20 years, everything has fundamentally changed, and we are in a moment when no one knows how this will all shake out and what the consequences will be.

In various rulings and policies, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has said that our democracy depends on an informed citizenry, which requires access to diverse and credible information.

A national solution to an informed public is a thorny and complex problem, but we can probably figure out a solution for an informed citizenry in Oklahoma City. It’s a pretty good assumption that you are well served by the information that exists, so you may not see the problem. However, the majority of our neighbors who get their information from social media or word of mouth might not agree that our community is well served by the information that is available.

We are seeing some interesting models develop across the country to attack the problem and engage a new generation of citizens through innovative models of new journalism.

My colleague, Simon Galperin, in New Jersey is working on a civic information network that is funded by the city. There is a central shift in the thought process. Journalism shouldn’t just inform people about the world, it should function as a public service that helps people navigate and participate in it. He treats local news less like articles and more like a public utility akin to libraries or transit. It is information infrastructure communities can rely on.

I don’t know that this model is the right one for Oklahoma City, but I wonder what we could create that would result in a more informed and civically engaged community.