Sure, when most people hear the word “BuzzFeed,” their mind automatically goes to a quiz, like, “Everyone’s Either A Taco Or A Quesadilla—Which One Are You?” (an actual quiz and, for the record, I am a quesadilla.)
But is that all that BuzzFeed is? A series of online quizzes and memes pouring out of various social media platforms? No. Sure, BuzzFeed consists of these things, but also has a team of dedicated reporters and writers doing work for BuzzFeed News, the journalism rendering of the company.
For those questioning BuzzFeed’s legitimacy as a serious news outlet, they might want to take another look at the articles they themselves are reading. To an extent, it is on the reader for the type of clickbait-type stories which they focus on.
Aside from these types of stories, BuzzFeed pulls its weight when covering topics of a serious nature, such as the article written by Mike Hayes which explored the devastating story of a man who died because of first responders’ lack of action.
Stories like Hayes’ explore the more tough subjects within the news today. Hayes is not the only writer taking action by tackling serious stories; a great plethora of the Buzzfeed News staff relinquishes the idea of writing only about internet memes and takes on issues of a more intense nature.
BuzzFeed is creating and building ethos within the community by not only crafting stories worthy of esteem, but also by crafting a whole brand; Follow This, a documentary series on Netflix, follows BuzzFeed News reporters as they work on stories of serious merit. In having a docuseries such as this, BuzzFeed solidifies its reporters as thoughtful and makes itself more available to an audience of great breadth. Not only so, but this docuseries is ridiculously entertaining.
The writers of Buzzfeed News also help create more of a brand, as their online personas promote both themselves and the platform which they work for.
Though the reporters of BuzzFeed News do their work as thoroughly as other news organizations might, it is not always without controversy. Recently, the site published a story that could have serious impacts on President Trump and his administration, stating in the article—which can be found here—that, essentially, Trump told his former attorney, Michael Cohen, to lie to Congress. However, in an unprecedented event which several news outlets reported on, such as CNN’s take on the debacle, Robert Mueller’s office has disputed such a report. BuzzFeed editors have stood by the work of their writers. No matter the outcome of this particular—and potentially shattering—story, it is clear that BuzzFeed News did not come to play.
Buzzfeed may have its more cheesy moments, but we should let it. It is rather nice, especially in a world filled with so much sorrow, to find solace in one of the organizations which reports the news to us, which fills us in on all the sorrow in the world; we all need a little happiness and silliness in our lives. Such happiness is often mistaken for frivolity, but it’s much more important than that. And while we can bask in this lightheartedness, we can also recognize that BuzzFeed News does need to do serious reporting, even if it can be controversial; if nothing else, BuzzFeed News knows how to spark a conversation.
For more articles and information on Buzzfeed and its news outlet, visit buzzfeed.com or buzzfeednews.com