From Curator to Click-Collector
Matt Drudge once insisted his site’s success came from sharp curation and a “nose for news.” But that discernment has vanished. The platform has become a mashable collage of tabloid snippets—an algorithmic dumping ground for unvetted, unsourced, and sensational content.
Rather than investigating, confirming, or adding original insight, Drudge now links to outlets that chase viral emotion over verifiable fact. TMZ’s false report fits that pattern perfectly: no evidence, no attribution, no accountability.
The result is a self-feeding misinformation loop—Drudge amplifies TMZ, tabloids cite Drudge’s reach, and readers walk away believing the repetition equals truth. This erosion of standards doesn’t just misinform; it normalizes junk journalism as legitimate news.
The Drudge Report’s collapse into sensationalism symbolizes a broader decay of online media ethics. When platforms with massive reach choose clickbait over credibility, it pushes readers toward cynicism and distrust of legitimate reporting.
Drudge’s homepage, once bookmarked by policymakers and journalists alike, is now more akin to a digital tabloid rack at a gas station—stacked with recycled stories and distorted narratives.
In today’s disinformation-heavy ecosystem, such laziness doesn’t just embarrass journalism—it undermines democracy’s dependence on truth.
