• by John Gaffney , September 11, 2002

Moving Forward: “Nothing has been forgotten. That could never be. But things go on, start anew, revert to some mean.” N.R. Kleinfeld wrote that in The New York Times yesterday. To me that sums up the media coverage of a very sad day. Outside of Fox News permanently posting the “Orange Terror Alert” on the lower left of the screen, class won out over crass on Sept. 11, 2002. Most of what I saw and read treated Sept. 11 tributes as if the media owners had lost people themselves last year, and in many cases they probably did. Advertising tributes I thought, were touching. Kmart’s print ads showing the Twin Towers reflected in the Hudson deserve commendation. Sandler O’Neil’s New York Times ad, listing its 60 lost employees, was heartbreaking. Should advertisers have stayed dark yesterday? Somehow I didn’t care a whole lot about that.

Moving Forward Two Weeks: You have 14 days until our Forecast 2003 panel kicks off at The Yale Club, in glorious NYC. The September 25 event has the cream of the crop from agencies, brands and the cognoscenti (that means people I can’t categorize like the brilliant Erwin Ephron). The response from the planning and buying community has surprised even the most die-hard optimists here at Mediapost. You can still register today.

Freedom Of Speech: Just so you know, Creators Syndicate has signed Ray Hanania, of the Creators Syndicate has signed Ray Hanania, of the Daily Herald of Arlington Heights, Il, making him the first Palestinian-American columnist ever to be represented by a major syndicate. Hanania also does a standup comedy act that thrust him into the national news late last month when Jewish comedian Jackie Mason wouldn't perform with him. And a certain media columnist got flamed by his readers for mentioning him three weeks ago.