The "Old Boys Club" style of media leadership needs to go
The time for change is long, long overdue.
Sree’s newsletter is produced w/ Zach Peterson (@zachprague). So much misinformation and disinformation about the vaccines these days. But we’re hopeful they - and science - will prevail.
Scroll down for Read Something; Watch Something; a weekly tech tip from Robert S. Anthony (@newyorkbob), and much more.
TUNE IN: #NYTReadalong - our guest this week is Charles M. Blow, New York Times Op-Ed columnist and author of “The Devil You Know: A Black Power Manifesto.” Live from 8:30-10 am ET Sunday or via recording anytime after.
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Misogyny is as old as time itself, and, although we’ve made progress, it’s clear that there’s so much work to be done to stamp it out.
As much as it pains me to say, the American journalism industry — an industry I love and have been a part of for three decades — remains hostile to women, LGBTQ people, and really anyone who isn’t a white male (which likely sounds very familiar to many across a range of industries).
Jennifer Barnett is a former managing editor of The Atlantic, Teen Vogue, Redbook, and Elle. To understand why she is the “former” managing editor at The Atlantic, you need to read the piece she published on Medium this week.
Jennifer’s piece is a heartbreaking read. It details a culture of what can only be described as abuse, and a toxic work culture that no person should have to endure.
An excerpt:
There were a handful of editors, all men, who had carte blanche to walk into my boss’s office at any time, even with the most trivial of matters. But when I needed to see him for business crucial to the magazine, he’d yell at me. Loudly, and with rage. It wasn’t that I was doing anything differently than the men who wanted to see him, it’s just that he was comfortable yelling at me. I noticed he did the same thing to another woman who was on the digital side. Every time he yelled I’d shrug it off, smile feebly to anyone who was in earshot and carry on. I’d make a joke. Brush it off. It’s no big deal, I’d say, all the while working extra hard behind the scenes to adapt and find ways to get what I needed out of my boss without tripping his rage wire.
This is just a sample. The details she shares likely — and sadly — sound familiar to many. The responses to her piece on Twitter don’t paint an overly optimistic picture, that’s for sure.
But, it’s not all bad, and progress is happening right now. Rashida Jones is going to be President of MSNBC very soon, there are more women reporting on the White House, and women are taking the anchor chair more and more on cable news. Katie Kingsbury has been named opinion editor of the NYT. GenderAvenger has a great piece detailing gains for women, and there’s a lot there about which to be hopeful.
For men in leadership roles, in every industry and in every aspect of life: don’t stand in the way of progress — welcome it. Embrace it. Promote it. Most importantly, do everything you can to ensure that no one can ever write a story like Jennifer’s about you.
- Sree
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Read Something
I haven’t gone back to look, but I would guess we’ve devoted a couple of thousand words on QAnon and the damage conspiracy theories have done to friendships, families, and society writ large. There is some good advice here on how to at least try to wrest your loved ones from the throes of malignant misinformation.
Health Tech: Keeping It Simple in 2021
By Robert S. Anthony
Each week, veteran tech journalist Robert S. Anthony shares a tech tip you don’t want to miss. Follow him on @newyorkbob.
As winter chills keep us indoors more, the simple concept of social distancing becomes complex—especially in small homes and apartments. Staying apart while staying in touch can be a challenge, but some exhibitors at this year’s virtual CES consumer electronics show gave that challenge a shot.
Yes, there were many glitzy, high-end health tech devices aimed at tracking health or keeping us healthy at virtual CES 2021, but some of the focus seemed to be on keeping things simple.
For example, the new MaskFone by Binatone attempts to solve a simple problem many of us are having right now: Trying to talk clearly on the phone while wearing a mask. The $50 MaskFone, which can use replaceable N95 filters, has integrated Bluetooth wireless earbuds and a microphone built into the mask in front of the user’s mouth.
Call control buttons are hidden under the washable fabric but are easy to locate by touch. The unit lasts for 12 hours per charge, according to Binatone, and a cable clip keeps the earbuds out of the way when not in use.
With many doctors separated from their patients due to the pandemic, Omron Healthcare recently introduced VitalSight, a remote-patient-monitoring system with a key benefit to the patient: There’s nothing to learn. The blood-pressure-monitoring system is ordered by the doctor, configured by the factory and sent directly to the patient with no major setup or installation needed.
VitalSight can securely send blood pressure data to a doctor’s electronic medical records system and can trigger alerts on the doctor’s end if readings are abnormal, according to Omron. In addition to a blood pressure monitor, the kit includes a scale and a wireless data hub. VitalSight isn’t available directly to consumers but may be covered by health insurance.
Yes, it may be cold outside, but a little clever tech can help us stay a little safer as we try to stay warm—and healthy.
Watch Something
The insurrection at the Capitol happened less than a month ago, and the arrests and lawsuits are still coming. This WSJ video is really an incredible piece of journalism, and I could actually see it leading to more arrests. If there was any doubt about the coordination, intentions, and motives at play on that awful day, I think this video should put most of those to rest.
Threads to Follow
If you are a producer, booker, interviewer, or just a normal person — please read this thread and understand that some people may need to do things slightly differently and that it’s totally fine and very easy to accommodate…as long as you make the effort. This goes for everyone, really. I’m so sorry that this happened, and I can’t imagine how small this made Raven feel. Stories like this should give everyone pause.
Listen to Something
Rev. William Barber gets so much right here, and on a topic that’s truly vexed me for some time. Religion and politics have always been intertwined, but how can so many people who claim to be believers do so much to not follow the teachings of their faith?
Odds & Ends
🗞 Sunday #NYTReadalong w/ Charles M. Blow, New York Times Op-Ed columnist.
The Readalong is followed, on Sundays at 11 am-noon ET, by a new medical show I’m co-executive producing with surgeons Sujana Chandrasekhar, M.D. (@DrSujanaENT), and Marina Kurian, M.D. (@MarinaKurian), called She’s On Call (watch live or later).
After 250 episodes in 250 days, my global show has moved from daily episodes to 1-2 times a week. The best way to know when I’m on the air and see all my archived shows, is to subscribe to my YouTube channel or my Whatsapp alerts.
The Sunday #NYTReadalong is sponsored by Muck Rack. Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Email sree@digimentors.group and neil@digimentors.group.
🎧 Every Saturday, I host a call-in show on WBAI 99.5FM (@wbai) - "Coping with Covid19" - focused on being helpful, hopeful, and focusing on the pandemic's effects on society’s most vulnerable. Listen live Saturdays from 12-1pm ET, or later. And, of course, call in or tweet questions for us using the #wbaisree hashtag. Listen to a recent episode here!
👀 Did we miss anything? Make a mistake? Do you have an idea for anything we’re up to? Let us know! Let’s collaborate!