Introducing: The Media Nut Mailbag

Contemplating rotation as a form of recreation

Hello, Monday. I got a push alert from NJ Transit this morning, the first once since March, informing me that the train I would be taking into Manhattan, should I be taking a train into Manhattan, was cancelled due to “equipment availability resulting from an earlier mechanical problem.” 

I view this optimistically (if not a bit delusionally) as it’s a tiny signal that things are, maybe, possibly, slowly inching towards normalcy. 

Another glimmer of hope: New Jersey is opening up indoor eating, implementing a 25 percent capacity requirement. 

Governor Phil Murphy @GovMurphy

NEW: Restaurants statewide will be able to open for indoor dining beginning this FRIDAY at 25% capacity and with social distancing between tables. Reopening responsibly will help us restore one of our state’s key industries while continuing to make progress against #COVID19.

We have a long way to go, I know. But at a time when wins are scant, I’ll take any W. 

And as we enter September tomorrow (I know, right?!), and a short week for those working (hopefully all your managers are giving you Friday off so you can have a four-day weekend; if you’re a manager, consider giving your staff Friday off so they can have a four-day weekend. They earned it.), I wanted to take a little break from the normal newsletter. 

This newsletter has been one long experiment. I have no idea what I’m doing, just making it up as I go. And I’m so glad you’re with me. (The Media Nut passed 3300 subscribers this morning. Thank you!!!) 

This week, I’m going to try something new: a reader mailbag. 

(Image via Michael Burrell)

Send me your questions about all things media and I’ll do my best to answer them this week. And if I can’t answer them, I’ll talk to smart folks who can.

I’d also like to hear what your biggest challenges, as well as successes are these days. We can think of this as a kind of a forum: you hear from me every day, now let’s hear from each other.

So send me an email with your questions and biggest challenges/successes, and I’ll run them in the newsletter. 

If you want anonymity, just say so in the email. If this experiment works, we’ll do it again in the future. If it doesn’t, we’ll move on.  

My email: josh.sternberg@gmail.com.

I look forward to your emails!

Thank you for allowing me in your inbox today and everyday. If you have tips or thoughts about the newsletter, drop me a line. Or you can follow me on Twitter. If you enjoy this newsletter, please consider sharing with colleagues and having them sign up. Have a great week and I look forward to your questions!

The Mamas and Papas, “Monday, Monday”

Some interesting links:

For media criticism:

• America's problems are real, but the news coverage needs to keep it in proportion (CNN)

• Is Movement Journalism What’s Needed During this Reckoning over Race and Inequality? (Nieman Reports)

• I’m Still Reading Andrew Sullivan. But I Can’t Defend Him. (NYT)

• Fact-checking Trump’s lies is essential. It’s also increasingly fruitless. (WaPo)

• How TV media's coverage of the party conventions compares (Media Matters)

• ‘But I Saw It on Facebook’: Hoaxes Are Making Doctors’ Jobs Harder (NYT)

For media business:

• TikTok deal to sell U.S. business could be announced as soon as Tuesday (CNBC)

• Facebook quietly ends racial ad targeting (The Markup)

For marketers:

• Back-To-School Ad Spend Falls 70% (Mediapost)

• ‘We honestly stay away from it’: Facebook’s surging video pages spark brand safety concern for ad buyers (Digiday)