The Digest: Fairfield County Marketing & Media Pros

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Digest.

If there’s a theme to this week’s newsletter, it’s contradictions.

The Regulatory Push: As platforms like Instagram test new "mini-drama" formats to keep users engaged, the real-world consequences are catching up. A landmark trial accusing social media giants of intentionally addicting children to their platforms started this week. The case could fundamentally change how marketers are allowed to target younger demographics.

YouTube’s Identity Crisis: Our Insights section explores YouTube's difficult balancing act as a premium TV screen while simultaneously serving as a "mid-funnel" engine for the creator economy.

AI as a Watchdog: Even traditional media is using new tools to monitor the digital landscape. The New York Times has developed a custom AI tool specifically to track and summarize the "manosphere," in a fascinating approach to try reaching new audiences.

Global & Local Media: Our Fairfield County Spotlight highlights the critical role Stamford plays in the 2026 Winter Olympics. NBC Sports will actually have more staff working at its local headquarters than on the ground in Milan. Meanwhile, Charter (Spectrum) continues its expansion, acquiring NECN to launch a New England-wide news network. It will be interesting to see if expanding regionally is a good business move when advertisers typically want local targeting or massive scale. 

For those looking to build the next big thing, don't miss the Startlab Workshop on "Vibe Coding" next Thursday at Shippan Landing.

The job market remains hot for senior talent. This week’s Job Board features new leadership roles at Conair, Henkel, Synchrony, and Mars United Commerce.

Finally, our Video of the Week offers a break from news of the week. In a world of screen addiction trials, the Trivia For Kids podcast provides a screen-free way to bring families together around topics ranging from Bluey to the NHL.

That’s it for this week. Enjoying this newsletter? Please feel free to share with others and let me know your thoughts.

What’s Next?

This digest is a starting point. The goal is to build a community of senior marketing and media professionals in Fairfield County. If you have news to share, a campaign to highlight, job opportunities, or an event to promote, please email me at [email protected] 

Best,

Shawn