Are Substack newsletters too expensive?
Welcome! I'm Simon Owens and this is my media newsletter. You can subscribe by clicking on this handy little button:
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How a popular sewing blog evolved into a trade association
A hobby sewing blog spurred a popular Etsy store, two book deals, a hit podcast, and an entire trade association that services the arts and crafts industry. [Simon Owens]
Did Google and Facebook kill the media revenue model?
Facebook and Google are cast as the bogeymen who destroyed newspapers, but this piece points out that the news industry, which by the late 1990s had grown fat and lazy, would have been disrupted by the internet regardless of any individual platform. [Monday Note]
14 newsletters
That’s how many I’ve delivered to your inbox just in the last month. And that’s not counting all of the longform articles and podcasts I’ve produced in that same time period. On a typical weekday, I’m working on content from about 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., and I’ll usually put in a few hours on weekends too.
This isn’t just a side hobby; it’s a career. And the only way I generate revenue from it is through paid subscriptions. By becoming a subscriber, you’ll not only support independent journalism, you’ll also receive case study interviews that are packed with industry insights with some of the top media executives and entrepreneurs working today. Subscribe at the link below and get 10% off your first year.
How Joe Biden’s Digital Team Tamed the MAGA Internet
Some really good insights here on how the Biden campaign essentially became its own media company, strategically pulling levers across Facebook, podcasts, and TikTok to deliver its messages to voters. [NYT]
Inside TAPinto’s franchise model for local news
I've profiled them in the past, but TAPinto continues to be one of the most innovative players in the local news space. [Lenfest Institute]
I have a private Facebook group…
…that I only promote to subscribers of this newsletter. It has over 350 members and we regularly chat and discuss media industry news. You should definitely join. [Facebook]
Howard Stern Extends His Agreement With SiriusXM
It remains to be seen how SiriusXM will integrate Howard Stern content into its newly-acquired podcast platforms, including Stitcher. [PR Newswire]
Why would people pay for an expensive Substack newsletter when they could get so much more content from The New York Times at the same price?
I explained why using a coffee analogy. [Simon Owens]
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