“After another round of layoffs and more M&A swirling, morale is shot. Honestly, is there anything left to be thankful for in media right now?”
— Director, Audience & Social
Let’s not sugarcoat it. This year sucked.
Layoffs, hiring freezes, and imminent M&A. WBD still circling the drain. Budgets slashed. Projects shelved. And AI promising to disrupt everyone who hasn’t already been disrupted.
If you updated your LinkedIn more than your actual job description this year, you’re not alone.
In all that chaos, there’s still things worth holding onto. Things that remind you why you got into this mess in the first place. And they’re not platitudes. They’re assets.
So yeah, let’s talk about what’s worth being thankful for right now.
Talent still matters.
Algorithms can surface a show. They still can’t make one. Writers, showrunners, editors, producers, they’re still the beating heart. The strike reminded everyone of that. Even the executives who pretended otherwise while pricing out parking spots on the lot.
The audience is ahead of us.
And that’s a gift. They’ll tell you what’s working, what’s broken, and what they want more of. You just have to shut up and listen. TikTok, YouTube, Discord, Reddit is better intel than your last five research decks combined.
Real brands still break through.
A24, Shondaland, the NFL. They cut through the noise not because they’re everywhere, but because they’re something. Clarity is power. And in a fragmented market, it’s magnetic.
There’s nowhere to hide.
Which is terrifying for the mid-tier coasters. But great for the people who do the work.
The fat is being trimmed. If you’re sharp, scrappy, and can move, you suddenly look like a leader.
We’ve seen worse.
DVD implosions. Cable unraveling. Facebook’s “pivot to video.” This industry runs on cycles. You don’t have to dodge the churn. You just have to outlast it.
So yeah. It’s been brutal.
But if you’re still here, still building, shipping, selling, making, you’re not just surviving. You’re staking a claim.
Gratitude isn’t weakness. It’s clarity. It reminds you what matters, and what doesn’t.
Forget the pie. That’s the real nourishment.
Skip Says
Be thankful for what still works.
Talent that delivers. Audiences that show up.
Brands with purpose. Colleagues who give a damn.
Everything else is overhead.
Ask Me Anything
Whether you’re fed up, fired up, or just want the truth behind the trends, send me your questions using this form. Anonymity guaranteed. Bullshit not included.
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