Minutes after playfully mocking me and Matt Fazelpoor — making a joke about how
being on a power list by BINJE and NJBIZ changed his life — Jon Crowley, the
executive director of the N.J. Motion Picture and Television Commission, walked over to
make sure we were still cool.
“I hope you guys were OK with me poking fun at you,” he said.
OK? We were better than OK.
I don’t mean to speak for others, but anytime someone wants to mention BINJE as a
business source of record in the state, I’ll take it.
BINJE has been fortunate; it’s been happening more and more around the state,
amplifying our presence as we hit our oneyear mark.
If you’re a business executive or elected official, know this: It’s an easy way to show
support for the sector or a particular reporter.
But understand, there may be a better way — one that also comes at no cost.
Which story you link to on social media.
It may not matter to you — but it matters to the media. It’s a scorecard. A signal that
says, “This is the reporting I trust.”
If it’s not BINJE, that’s fine — but please don’t let it be your own press release.
If we come to your event — and do a fair piece, that’s key — why link to your own site?
It’s an oversight that stings more than you think.
Of course, it could be worse. Sometimes folks link to outofstate news sites.
I remember during the opening weeks of the pandemic, when Gov. Murphy repeatedly
pointed to coverage in The New York Times. And once his team linked to a story on the
website of a New York City radio station. A radio station.
These weren’t breaking news items, just recaps of new regulations. And the governor
was promoting companies that pay taxes in another state.
When I let them know why this was a bother, they were stunned. They had never
considered it. And they changed their ways.
Let’s be clear: business leaders and elected officials do not owe the local media
anything. Not a thing. I’m not looking for favors or handouts. Or even shoutouts.
All I ask is this: When you link to a story on social media, make it the one you thought
did the best job — not just the first one you saw.
