Marina Fang
@marinafang.bsky.social
Journalist, writer, editor, communications leader • Membership manager, NYCETC • formerly a senior culture reporter at HuffPost and adjunct journalism prof, CUNY • she/her • bymarinafang@gmail.com or marinafang.72 on Signal marinafang.substack.com
This week’s newsletter: wrote about The Odyssey’s press tour and how, these days, so many celebrity interviews are about having to come up with something for the celebrities to do: a game to play, a questionnaire to answer, etc.
Infinite scroll
On "The Odyssey" press tour and feeding the content machine
marinafang.substack.com
I know this is not the biggest concern going these days, but it stresses me out that basically every artist/writer/critic is now expected to create their own tiny empire instead of getting paid by any existing entity to perform a job they've worked to get good at!!!!
In my newsletter this week: on the final season of “The Bear,” plus some thoughts on the appeal and nostalgia of summer reading challenges.
Let it rip
On the final season of "The Bear" + more "Salesman" and summer reading
marinafang.substack.com
Wrote about the Hacks series finale in my newsletter this week: marinafang.substack.com/p/hacks-seri...
Completing the circle
On the "Hacks" series finale + the usual ephemera
marinafang.substack.com
Realized I had not shared this here yet: On May 4, after over 14 months of slogging through a Sisyphean job market, I started a new job managing relationships & communications (including writing two weekly newsletters) for a nonprofit with over 200 member organizations.
Marina Fang - New York City Employment and Training Coalition
Marina Fang is NYCETC's membership manager, building and coordinating relationships and communications with NYCETC's member organizations.
nycetc.org
New Yorkers, Mayor Mamdani will join Gothamist for a conversation about his first 100 days at The Greene Space on Monday, April 20 at 7 p.m. He'll be taking questions. gothamist.com/news/mayor-m... - please consider submitting questions about keeping his public library funding commitments.
Mayor Mamdani’s first 100 days: Lessons from La Guardia
Will Mamdani’s path forward transform the city like the Little Flower did?
gothamist.com
roosevelt island has volunteer “petal protectors” who stop people from shaking the cherry blossoms 🥹🥹🥹 lovely new story from @lillysabs.bsky.social:
Meet the 'Petal Protectors' Guarding NYC’s Blossoms From Pic-Snapping Crowds
Touching or shaking the fragile flowering trees can harm them. These volunteers on Roosevelt Island make sure that doesn’t happen.
thecity.nyc
On Monday, had the honor of going home to Pittsburgh to moderate author Jade Song's book launch for her new novel I Love You Don't Die at @cityofasylum.bsky.social. Many thanks to everyone who joined us! If you're looking for a moderator for a book talk, post-screening Q&A, etc., get in touch.
I'm one of five visiting journalists at @mujschool.bsky.social for the next few days, working with students, leading a few workshops, and seeing some films at @truefalsefilmfest.bsky.social, as part of #CriticsinColumbia. More on this exciting pilot program: journalism.missouri.edu/2026/03/crit...
‘Critics in Columbia’ pilots alternative to imperfect press junket formula
By Austin Fitzgerald COLUMBIA, Mo. (March 3, 2026) — It seems like a win-win situation: A film festival showcases the latest films. Critics cover the event, writing reviews and drawing attention to a…
journalism.missouri.edu
Wanted to reiterate that in addition to my continued search for full-time jobs, I'd love to pick up more short-term contract work. Do you need a writer to turn around a few stories for an upcoming project? A researcher or fact-checker for your book? etc. etc. Get in touch: bymarinafang@gmail.com
When I wrote this story a few years ago, the main thing everyone I talked to said was that JVDB was always fully committed, whether he was playing a breakup scene with utter seriousness, or mocking the breakup scene 20 years later. Not everyone would have gone so hard! www.vox.com/culture/2236...
An oral history of the Dawson crying GIF and its outsized legacy
How Crying Dawson ascended to “the Mount Rushmore of GIFs.”
vox.com
This is always the complaint of sophists who never seem to grasp that art! is! political!
‘It’s become more about politics than music’: what will Bad Bunny bring to the Super Bowl?
Grammy-winning Puerto Rican star is in the center of US culture wars before leading this weekend’s half-time show
theguardian.com
We have launched a new fundraiser to support The Washington Post's courageous international employees and local staff who were laid off, who are not eligible for Guild protections, and who face additional logistical challenges and security risks. Please give & share widely: gofund.me/e765aab9f
Donate to Support for Washington Post international employees, organized by Michelle Lee
Among the hundreds of journalists laid off by The Washington Post on … Michelle Lee needs your support for Support for Washington Post international employees
gofund.me
After a month and a half break from print, the Reader makes its debut as a monthly. Thank you to everyone who supported the paper last year when we were scraping by week to week, and all the ups and downs before then. Thank you to everyone who picks up a new issue, it means the world.
the Washington Post effectively blew up its arts section today, dismissing its books, TV, music, and theater critics, features writers, and several editors. (I'm also guessing the vacant film critic position will stay that way.) Just an insane loss of talent and a huge self-inflicted wound.
So many people doing great work here; many of us were caught in layoffs repeatedly or squeezed out of traditional staff jobs. I value the indie media ecosystem so much but there's also a critical need for newsrooms and their resources: Some stories need a lot of support, especially investigations.
Brandy Schillace@bschillace.brandyschillace.com · 6mo agoGiven the WaPo disaster, I’m re-posting my starter pack of indie journalists—it probably needs an update so give me a shout to add folks. #wapo #journalism go.bsky.app/A2UpMn5
Sports coverage is more than scores. It’s about the people, politics and cultural factors that drive it. Sports journalism adds vivid color and context to these dynamics. Without it, every sports fan suffers. Some of the best sports journalism all-time came from WaPo. Inexcusable loss.
Ben Mullin@benmullin.bsky.social · 6mo agoA staggering statement from former Washington Post editor Marty Baron: "This ranks among the darkest days in the history of one of the world's greatest news organizations."
Well, I was laid off at The Washington Post today. It's been an honor to work with some of the best journalists in the business. I'm hoping to continue reporting, producing videos and finding long-forgotten archival footage. If you have any openings, reach out.
My time with The Washington Post is up. I was laid off with hundreds of folks I am so honored to call my colleagues. I covered it all at The Post (really), so now I'm looking for my next adventure. ➡️ kbellware [at] gmail dot com Website update coming soon @postguild.bsky.social forever
also being edited is GOOD having colleagues is GOOD being part of a context and community makes the work BETTER we can't all just be typing in little boxes alone in the dark forever
Marina Fang@marinafang.bsky.social · 6mo agoIn the year since my layoff, many well-meaning people have said things like: "Start a newsletter/podcast/independent publication!" What about health insurance, legal support, and all the essentials — and frankly, more peace of mind — that a full-time job at an established news outlet provides?
In the year since my layoff, many well-meaning people have said things like: "Start a newsletter/podcast/independent publication!" What about health insurance, legal support, and all the essentials — and frankly, more peace of mind — that a full-time job at an established news outlet provides?
Karen K. Ho@karenho.bsky.social · 6mo agoA lot of people cannot just start a paid newsletter or become freelancers to sustain their careers. The sports, metro, and international desks did work that requires *team* resources, like legal checks, documents, access to archives, and long-term beat experience.
I really hate that media layoffs have been happening for the last three years, including my own, and most of the people responsible for the mismanagement won't experience any negative consequences, especially for decimating the number of people of color in so many American newsrooms.
When I tried reporting on LSU, football, and gendered violence as a freelancer, I hit so many walls. I joined the team at USA Today and we did award-winning work bc, in large part, it was a big team of people and they were able to sue the school repeatedly, which was withholding public documents.
Karen K. Ho@karenho.bsky.social · 6mo agoA lot of people cannot just start a paid newsletter or become freelancers to sustain their careers. The sports, metro, and international desks did work that requires *team* resources, like legal checks, documents, access to archives, and long-term beat experience.
I don't know what it is about idiots who buy newspapers without understanding why they exist or what their business is, but I think gutting books coverage is some kind of canary in the coalmine. These jackasses don't read books, so they assume no one else does either.
The line in this courageous essay about her child not remembering her broke my heart. I hope she knows what an impact it had on so many people.
The New Yorker@newyorker.com · 7mo agoTatiana Schlossberg, daughter of Caroline Kennedy, has died at 35. In November, she wrote about receiving a terminal diagnosis following the birth of her daughter. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/hsZC7S
For any editors: I know budgets are really tight right now, but in addition to taking general pitches, if you have any series/packages for which you're looking for writers, or any ongoing or evergreen content that you rely on freelancers for, please reach out: bymarinafang@gmail.com
In a lot of cultures, it's pretty common to call any elder of your parents' generation an aunt or uncle.
Laura Bassett@lebassett.bsky.social · 9mo agoit’s ridiculous to cover this dumb fake outrage in the first place, but to put the story out like some ominous 9/11-related scandal without making clear that the entire “controversy” is that his aunt is technically his dad’s cousin is absolutely fucking abhorrent
