What’s Not Abnormal?

It’s hard to know anything about the future with certainty these days. Many are predicting a slow road back to normalcy. And what will be normal? Will small businesses make a sudden comeback? Will we sit in restaurants near other people right away? Would you go to a baseball game? Could the virus mutate for a second wave? Sorry, that’s dark, but far from out of the question.

I have read a slew of media related “it’s not the same” articles with some fascination. Of course, it’s not the same. Driving down the street is not the same. Parks and beaches are closed. The Chinese takeout restaurant is closed.

Lets see if I can summarize: Commutes are now a matter of steps so podcast downloads and listens are off. Morning drive radio is getting whacked hard. Netflix is way up. The Evening News is at levels not seen since Walter Cronkite. Sports radio and sports podcasts are talking about who knows what. ESPN is airing celebrities playing video games. Disney + hit 50 million global signups and is years ahead of projections. News podcasts are up a lot, true crime is down a lot. Recording podcasts from closets is off the charts. What’s a radio traffic reporter to do? Millennials are watching linear TV. Daytime TV is up…