This Week in Backstory & Strategy
The weekend is a great time to catch up—on what you missed and who else might need to read it.
If your week was anything like mine, it flew by in a blur of headlines, meetings, and the occasional “Wait, what day is it?” So, in the interest of saving you some scrolling, here are five quick reads from the last few days in case you missed them—or, you know, read them but had to keep skimming between your ninth and 10th cups of coffee.
👇 Here’s what I covered:
📉 When the Sirens Fade
What happens after the emergency ends and the media funding disappears? I unpack the aftershocks of the federal alert clawback and why it’s exposing real fragility in public media’s business model.
Read it here.🧠 What’s Actually Holding Back AI Training
Hint: it’s not the technology. I look at what the AI boom reveals about old power structures—and why that matters for the future of journalism, data, and decision-making.
Read it here.🏢 The Floor Just Dropped: Corporate Philanthropy and the 1% Rule
A tax change with massive implications for nonprofit newsrooms. Here’s what public media leaders need to know—and why it’s time to rethink assumptions about corporate giving.
Read it here.📆 Your Meeting Problem Isn’t About Meetings
They’re a symptom, not the disease. This piece dives into what bloated calendars actually say about organizational trust, clarity, and leadership.
Read it here.👴 The Lifers Are Leaving. But Should They?
A conversation sparked by one well-meaning compliment turned into a reflection on tenure, loyalty, and what younger workers might lose if everyone always jumps ship.
Read it here.
If any of these pieces resonate with you, I hope you’ll share them with someone else who might find them useful. You never know who’s wrestling with the same questions about leadership, sustainability, or just how to make the next meeting not suck.
Catch you next week,
Yoni