# Cron Job: reddit-daily-telegram **Job ID:** 93a2c5150a6f **Run Time:** 2026-06-08 17:18:29 **Schedule:** 0 18 * * * ## Prompt [IMPORTANT: The user has invoked the "content-monitoring-briefings" skill, indicating they want you to follow its instructions. The full skill content is loaded below.] --- name: content-monitoring-briefings description: "Monitor external content channels, compare recent output to industry developments, and publish concise briefings or Telegram sitreps." platforms: [linux, macos, windows] --- # Content Monitoring & Briefings Use this skill when the user wants to: - scrape or inspect a YouTube channel, creator feed, or other content stream - compare recent uploads/posts against what happened in the broader industry - identify gaps, missed stories, or under-covered themes - turn the result into a daily briefing, sitrep, or delivery to Telegram This is an umbrella workflow skill. Keep it reusable: channel-specific details belong in `references/`. ## Core workflow 1. **Verify the target first** - Confirm the exact channel/page/account URL. - If the user names a creator but gives a different URL, trust the URL and mention the mismatch if relevant. - Inspect the page identity before analyzing topics. 2. **Collect the latest items** - Prefer the channel's videos/posts page. - Use browser snapshots for visible metadata, and browser text extraction when the page is virtualized or truncated. - Capture title, age, view count, and any recurring topic labels. - If the visible list is incomplete, scroll and continue until the requested time window is covered. 3. **Classify the content** - Group items by topic family: product firmware, product reviews, platform updates, policy/regulation, ecosystem moves, and tutorials/how-tos. - Mark whether the item is reactive news, evergreen content, or opinion/analysis. 4. **Compare against industry reality** - Look for gaps in: - ecosystem/platform competition - policy and regulation impact - AI or automation trends - privacy/data governance - sustainability/repairability - adjacent competitors or substitute products - Ask: what changed in the industry that the channel did not cover, and why does that omission matter? 5. **Write the briefing** - Start with the direct answer. - Keep it structured: covered / missed / why it matters / next story ideas. - If the user asks for a public-ready result, make it readable without extra explanation. 6. **Confirm cadence before scheduling** - Do not turn a request for realtime/current status into a daily cron job by default. - If the user says "realtime," "now," or asks for a live quota/status check, perform an immediate check or explain the available live signal first. - Only create scheduled jobs after the cadence is explicit (for example daily at 09:00, every hour, or watchdog-style only-on-change alerts). 7. **Deliver to Telegram when requested** - If the user wants a Telegram target, list available message targets first when a specific recipient is needed. - Use the home Telegram destination when the user simply says "send to Telegram". - For daily sitreps, use a concise format: key items, notable changes, one recommendation. ## Long-output delivery pattern (cron → file + email) Use this when a recurring monitoring job produces output too long for chat (>50 lines / 3000 chars), or when the user prefers email over Telegram for their daily digests. ### Prompt structure for the cron job The cron job prompt must be self-contained (no chat context available). Include: - The exact source URL or API endpoint - Time window (e.g. "past 24h", "since last run") - Formatting rules inline (the cron agent has no chat context) - Two delivery actions in this order: ``` 1. Write output to /opt/data/cron/output//YYYY-MM-DD.md Create directories if needed. 2. EMAIL to with subject " - - YYYY-MM-DD" Via GAPI script at /opt/data/skills/productivity/google-workspace/scripts/google_api.py Only skip email if the Gmail API fails — still write the local file. ``` ### Conditional email (skip when no new content) When the channel has no new items since the last run: - Write "No new videos" or "Nothing notable" to the local file - Skip the email entirely — don't send empty digests This keeps the user's inbox clean and only alerts them to actual content. ### Reddit-specific: prefer JSON API, fall back to RSS when blocked For Reddit cron jobs, first try appending `.json` to subreddit URLs (e.g. `https://www.reddit.com/r/bellingcat/hot.json`) with a browser-like `User-Agent`. The JSON API is fast when Reddit allows it, but this environment can receive HTTP 403 `Blocked` from Reddit's JSON endpoints. If JSON returns 403/Blocked or another network-security error, fall back to RSS/Atom: - `https://www.reddit.com/r//hot/.rss` - `https://old.reddit.com/r//.rss` Do not use browser automation for Reddit cron jobs. The `web`, `terminal`, and `file` toolsets are sufficient. Default to `hot`; only use `top` if the user explicitly asks for top posts. ### Purge old output Set up a daily cron at 03:00 that deletes `.md` files older than 30 days from `/opt/data/cron/output/`: ``` find /opt/data/cron/output/ -type f -name "*.md" -mtime +30 -delete find /opt/data/cron/output/ -type d -empty -delete ``` ## Cron prompt template (YT sitrep) ``` Check [CHANNEL NAME] YouTube channel at [URL] for new videos since the last run. Output in nieuws24 format: thematic groups with short title+explanation per item, up to 5 videos max, concluding takeaway. After creating the digest: 1. Write to /opt/data/cron/output/yt-/YYYY-MM-DD.md (create dirs if needed) 2. EMAIL to [email] with subject "YT Sitrep - [Name] - YYYY-MM-DD" using /opt/data/skills/productivity/google-workspace/scripts/google_api.py Only skip email if Gmail API fails — still write the file. If NO new videos since last run: write "No new videos" and skip email. ``` ## Cron prompt template (Reddit digest) ``` Create a concise digest from Reddit for subreddits: [list]. Use JSON API: https://www.reddit.com/r//hot.json Skip stickied posts. Top 1-3 threads per sub, each with: title, upvotes, 1-line BLUF. Format: lurker-friendly — no reply suggestions, no engagement prompts. 1. Write to /opt/data/cron/output/reddit-daily/YYYY-MM-DD.md 2. EMAIL to [email] with subject "Reddit Daily Digest - YYYY-MM-DD" via GAPI script. ``` ### News24 briefing pattern Use this when the user says `nieuws24` or asks for a last-24-hours news briefing. 1. **Use the configured source set** - Default sources for this user: GVA, De Standaard, VRT NWS, De Morgen, Tweakers, Business AM, Newsmonkey, De Tijd. - Prefer RSS/Atom feeds for timestamped recent items when available; use homepage extraction and search snippets as fallback. - If a source is blocked by paywall, privacy gate, or RSS limits, include a short source caveat rather than pretending full coverage. - Full source list with prioritization in `references/news24-dutch-sources.md`. 2. **Filter to the user's interests** - Exclude football, rap/Kanye West, and pop-celebrity items such as Dua Lipa by default. - Include those topics only if they become major hard news with broader public-safety, legal, political, or economic relevance. - Prioritize Belgium/regional hard news, politics/policy, justice, infrastructure, economy, geopolitics, safety incidents, technology, and cybersecurity. 3. **Keep it concise and scannable** - Start with the direct 24h scope and source caveat. - Group by section (🇧🇪 België, 🌍 Internationaal, 🔬 Tech, 🏛️ Opmerkelijk). - Per item: title + 1 short line explaining relevance. - End with "Wat viel op?" — 2-3 closing observations. - Avoid entertainment filler when the user did not ask for culture coverage. - No linkdumps: provide context inline. 4. **Parallel extraction for speed** - Use delegate_task with multiple workers to fetch sources in parallel (up to 2 concurrent). - If more than 2 sources, split across sequential delegate_task calls. - Prefer `web_search` site:domain queries over full page extraction for speed. Use `web_extract` only for articles that clearly need full text. ## Reddit-to-Telegram digest pattern Use this when the user wants recurring Reddit monitoring pushed to Telegram. 1. **Shape the output for lurking, not engagement** - Use only: top threads + a very short BLUF per item. - Do **not** include suggested replies, reply angles, or "what to say next" prompts unless the user explicitly asks for engagement help. - Keep each item compact enough to scan in chat. 2. **Keep the prompt self-contained for cron** - A scheduled job runs without chat context, so include the subreddit list, cadence, timezone, and formatting rules directly in the prompt. - Prefer explicit timezone wording when scheduling daily jobs. 3. **Prefer current provider selection over legacy provider names** - When a cron job needs model/provider behavior, rely on the current Hermes model/provider configuration or a consciously selected current provider. - Avoid hardcoding stale provider identifiers in job text or job metadata. - If a run reports a provider mismatch, update the job to match the current Hermes model/provider selection before retrying. 4. **Verify the delivery path before trusting the result** - For Telegram jobs, confirm the cron job is actually delivering to Telegram, not to an internal origin/default path. - Re-run after edits and inspect the job record for updated `last_run_at`, `last_status`, and delivery target. 5. **Style defaults for Reddit digests** - Title: short. - Body: `Top threads` with 1-line BLUF bullets. - Tone: factual, low-noise, no fluff. ## References - News24 Dutch/Belgian source notes and user-interest filter: `references/news24-dutch-sources.md` - Reddit-to-Telegram digest recipe and pitfalls: `references/reddit-telegram-digest.md` - Reddit Telegram format and anti-patterns: `references/reddit-digest-format.md` - YT channel sitrep and gap analysis: `references/youtube-channel-gap-and-sitrep.md` ## Pitfalls - YouTube pages can be truncated or virtualized; do not assume the first snapshot contains the full recent list. - Do not infer the wrong channel identity from the user's label alone; verify the actual page. - Do not confuse "what the channel covered" with "what the industry covered"; the gap analysis is the point. - For recurring briefings, keep the prompt self-contained so a cron job can run without chat context. - For Reddit digests intended for Telegram, default to a lurker-friendly format: **Top threads** plus a very short **BLUF** per item. Do not add reply suggestions, engagement prompts, or "what to say" unless the user explicitly asks. - **Cron delivery to email**: set `deliver: "local"` on the cron job so the output is saved server-side, and let the prompt handle the email send. The cron's `deliver` field controls where the agent's final message goes — set it to `local` to avoid blasting the chat every day. - **Reddit JSON API in cron**: browser tooling is flaky and slow in cron context. Always use `.json` suffix URLs for Reddit cron scraping. The `web` toolset (web_search/web_extract) is sufficient — no need for `browser` toolset in Reddit cron jobs. - **Conditional email**: if "no new content", write the file but skip email. This requires the prompt to explicitly say when to skip. ## Output patterns ### Gap analysis - Covered - Missed - Why it matters - Candidate stories ### Sitrep - Today's key items - Overnight changes - Recommendation / focus ### Telegram delivery - Keep messages short enough for chat readability. - Prefer one clean block over multiple fragmented updates. ### Email delivery (long output) - Subject: ` - - YYYY-MM-DD` - Body: the full sitrep/digest text - Attachments: none (the Google API script sends via body only) The user has provided the following instruction alongside the skill invocation: [IMPORTANT: You are running as a scheduled cron job. DELIVERY: Your final response will be automatically delivered to the user — do NOT use send_message or try to deliver the output yourself. Just produce your report/output as your final response and the system handles the rest. SILENT: If there is genuinely nothing new to report, respond with exactly "[SILENT]" (nothing else) to suppress delivery. Never combine [SILENT] with content — either report your findings normally, or say [SILENT] and nothing more.] Create a concise Reddit digest for subreddits: r/garmin, r/bellingcat, r/meshtastic. Time window: latest hot/top-looking posts from the past 24h, run daily at 18:00 Europe/Brussels. Fetch method: 1. First try Reddit JSON API with a browser-like User-Agent: - https://www.reddit.com/r//hot.json?limit=20 2. If Reddit JSON returns 403/Blocked or any network-security error, fall back to Reddit RSS/Atom, which is allowed from this environment: - https://www.reddit.com/r//hot/.rss - or https://old.reddit.com/r//.rss 3. Do NOT use browser automation for Reddit. Use web/terminal/file tools only. If JSON fails but RSS works, treat the job as successful and mention nothing about JSON failure in the user digest. Filtering: - Skip stickied posts. - Prefer posts from the past 24h where timestamps are available. If RSS lacks enough timestamp detail, use the current hot feed and keep only clearly recent items when possible. - Top 1-2 notable threads per subreddit max. Before final response, do BOTH actions: 1. Write the FULL version of the digest to /opt/data/cron/output/reddit-daily/YYYY-MM-DD.md (create dirs if needed). 2. EMAIL the same full content to tomstynen@gmail.com with subject "Reddit Daily Digest - YYYY-MM-DD" using the GAPI script at /opt/data/skills/productivity/google-workspace/scripts/google_api.py. Only skip email if Gmail API fails — still write the file. Full digest format for file + email: - Section per subreddit. - Top threads only. - Title + optional comments/score if available + 1-line BLUF + conclusion. - NO LINKS. Final Telegram response rules: - Max 10 lines. - Compact, scannable. - Per item: subreddit, short title/theme, 1-line BLUF + conclusion. - NO links and NO upvote counts. - Do not mention internal tool failures if fallback succeeded. Example: 🔴 Reddit (18:00) r/meshtastic: RAK firmware 3.0 beta — breaking changes, backup first r/bellingcat: OSINT guide update — Google Earth timelapse trick; useful for geolocation r/garmin: Edge 1050 pricing leaks — wait for real launch before caring If nothing notable in a subreddit, skip it silently. If ALL subreddits have nothing notable, final response: "Rustige dag op Reddit." ## Response Email sent successfully. Now let me produce the compact Telegram-ready response for the cron delivery. 🔴 **Reddit (18:00)** — 8 juni **r/meshtastic:** 1W RAK + Pi build discussion — component engineering for high-power fixed nodes. Heltec V4 caught fire at USB-C port; safety alert voor wie headsets unattended laat draaien. **r/bellingcat:** Podcast donderdag met CNN-team achter Motherless-onderzoek — reporting on hidden online abuse networks. Relevant voor OSINT-volgers. **r/garmin:** Fenix 8 tracking accuracy teleurstelt t.o.v. Apple Watch Ultra — GPS drift en HR-inconsistentie. InReach support onbereikbaar via meerdere kanalen; meerdere gebruikers bevestigen. **Conclusie:** Actieve dag op r/garmin, rustiger op de rest. Fenix 8-klachten blijven een verhaal om te volgen.