The Editorial Engine: A Week in Review

This week, I dove deep into "The Editorial Engine"—exploring how editorial decisions shape everything from Emmy-winning documentaries to failing newsrooms. Beyond a couple of necessary detours into public media's looming crisis, I stayed true to the theme.

Here's your complete guide to the week's posts, whether you're catching up or want to revisit something that sparked your thinking. And if a piece resonates with someone in your network, don't hesitate to share it.

On Editorial Craft & Decision-Making:

• "So What?" The Two Words That Saved Our Emmy-Winning Documentary — Sometimes the most powerful editorial tool is the simplest question.
• The Best Editorial Decision I Ever Made Started With a Lie — How strategic misdirection can reveal deeper truths.

On Systems & Strategy:

• Launch Like You Mean It: What the First 90 Days Actually Teach You — The real lessons come after the confetti settles.
• Why Your Editorial Calendar Is Failing You (And What to Do Instead) — Spoiler: It's not about the calendar.

On Newsroom Culture & Connection:

• Making Journalism Relational Again — Why the best journalism happens when we remember we're talking to humans.
• What Makes a Newsroom 'Work' – and What Breaks It — The invisible dynamics that determine whether teams thrive or fracture.

On Public Media's Moment of Truth:

• The White House Just Proved My Point About Public Media's Existential Crisis — When your biggest advocate becomes your biggest problem.
• When STEM Education Faces Its Biggest Crisis, We're Dismantling Our Best Safety Net — The timing couldn't be worse.

Next Week: Culture > Everything

Join me Monday when we shift gears to explore how culture trumps strategy, systems, and even good intentions. Because in media, as everywhere else, culture ultimately determines what survives and what doesn't.

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