Beyond the Algorithm: Why Being Human Still Wins
From YouTube’s new rules to sharing your own blueprint—what still matters most.
Greetings Team TV Decoded:
Hope your summer is nice and sunny. Not sure about you guys but for me some weeks it feels like the industry is sprinting toward the future—and other weeks, you see all the signs that people are craving something real.
This was actually one of those weeks. From YouTube’s new push for original voices to watching a movie I know would have made my mother laugh, I keep coming back to the same question: What makes a story worth telling?
Sometimes it’s the polish. Sometimes it’s the chaos. But most of the time, it’s the truth.
Here’s what’s on the Slate This Week:
🎙 1. In the Room – The Power of Sharing Your Story
Behind the scenes of recording my episode for Hard Wig, Soft Life—and what I learned about myself when I finally said the words out loud.
📊 2. Decode This – YouTube Bets on Real Voices
While everyone is predicting the AI takeover, YouTube is putting money behind human creators. Let’s unpack why originality (and authenticity) still matter more than ever.
📺 3. What I’m Watching This Week
From NBA rookies fighting for a spot to Mariska Hargitay’s personal doc about her mother, my queue this week is part curiosity, comfort, and all about connection.
🧰 4. Tools of the Trade – iMessage
Sometimes the simplest tools are the ones you rely on the most. This week, iMessage has been my lifeline to communicate swiftly and keep my relationships intact.
Sincerely,
Tracey Baker-Simmons
🎥 IN THE ROOM- The Power of Sharing Your Story
This week, I shared my story on Melissa Laboriel’s podcast, Hard Wig, Soft Life, and it made me really pause and think about how much my definition of success has evolved over the years.
For a long time, success meant the credits, the awards, the big milestones. And while I’m proud of all of that, it doesn’t tell the whole story.
After 30+ years in this industry, I’ve realized that my true legacy isn’t just the shows I’ve produced—it’s the lives I’ve touched and, hopefully, helped change for the better.
If someone feels seen, encouraged, or inspired because I was willing to share my journey, that feels like the most meaningful kind of success to me.
That’s why I teach, why I mentor, and why I keep telling these stories. Because real success is leaving something behind that lifts others up and makes their path a little clearer.
I was grateful to share this perspective—and to be reminded that sometimes, telling your story out loud is how you honor where you’ve been and the impact you’ve made along the way. The podcast is available on Apple podcast, Spotify, Youtube and www.hardwigsoftlifepodcast.com
🔍2. Decode This – YouTube Bets on Real Voices
In a world where AI-generated content is multiplying by the hour, YouTube just announced something I find comforting: they’re going to pay more to creators making original, human-led videos.
Translation? While everyone is predicting the AI takeover, Youtube is quietly betting that audiences still crave a real voice behind the screen.
This isn’t just about monetization—though, of course, revenue matters. It’s about trust and connection.
For years, the story was that technology would democratize everything. And in a lot of ways, it has. But this is the perfect plot twist: the easier it becomes to generate content automatically, the more valuable it becomes to create something that feels personal, imperfect, and unmistakably human.
Think about it—AI can spin out an explainer video in seconds. It can copy an editing style, generate a script, even clone a voice. But it can’t replace the feeling you get when you watch someone talk about something they genuinely care about. That sense of “I’m right here with you” is the thing audiences really want.
Here’s why this shift matters:
Authenticity is a competitive advantage. In a sea of synthetic voices and repurposed clips, being yourself—fully and unapologetically—is suddenly the differentiator.
Viewers want to know who’s behind the camera, whether you stand behind what you’re saying, and why you chose to share it in the first place.
Original content creates staying power. AI can remix, but it can’t feel. That gap—between polished and personal—is where opportunity lives.
For producers, this is a reminder: human connection will always matter. Because at the end of the day, audiences don’t just remember how your work looked—they remember how it made them feel.
And no algorithm can fake that.
📺3. What I’m Watching This Week
Divine Positioning – Hard Wig, Soft Life Podcast - Sometimes you have to listen to your own voice. I’ve been rewatching this episode, partly to check for edits, but also to remind myself why I do what I do. It’s wild how often we need to hear our own advice.
NBA Summer League - Summer League is one of my favorite parts of the off-season. Watching the rookies figure it out as the drafts picks stories are just beginning —there’s always a good story in sports if you know where to look.
Back to the Frontier - This series is so random and weird to me that I feel compelled to watch. Sometimes I put things on just to understand why they exist—and whether there’s any intention buried underneath. My first response - For the record is we don’t need to go back!
Smoke (Apple TV+) - I am just starting this one. The premise has hooked me immediately. Curious to see if it delivers on what it promises, or if it’s another example of a great idea stretched too thin. Either way, I love Jurnee Smollett.
My Mom Jayne - Directed by Mariska Hargitay, this is a deeply personal documentary about her mother, Jayne Mansfield. Mansfield’s public image, her family’s loss, and Mariska’s own journey toward understanding the mother she barely knew. Critics say it’s a storytelling masterclass in lineage and identity and I am everything “mother”
Madea’s Destination Wedding - My mother loved Tyler Perry, and sometimes I put one of the Madea films on just to laugh and feel close to her. I’m hoping I hear her laughter in my head while I watch this one.
The Don Lemon Show - I’m calling this my new news station. There’s something about Don’s delivery that feels like a reset. Clear, direct, unapologetic. It’s been a refreshing way to keep up. And can we celebrate that his show on CNN had the same name because—it’s his name. #existingIP
For me TV isn’t just entertainment—it’s the blueprint. Let’s decode together.
🛠️4. Tools of the Trade - iMessage
This is part of my new trifecta—I use it alongside Apple Notes and Reminders.
I’ve tried every project management app under the sun, but if I’m honest, this is my go-to for staying connected to my team.
It’s where the quick check-ins happen. The late-night “Did you see this?” links. The notes to people I’ll probably forget to organize later. (Of course, I set them to send later to be respectful.) It’s the fastest way to share photos and other items with your team.
This week, it’s been a big part of my lifeline—proof that sometimes the simplest tools are the ones you rely on the most.