The New York Times just announced its Q2 earnings and it’s seen strong growth in both advertising and subscribers. It’s also continuing to diversify its business.
I provided my analysis below.
The Guardian published an opinion piece titled “Why indie podcasts are in peril,” but I actually think the next five years will be incredibly lucrative for small podcasts that aren’t associated with a larger media organization.
I talked about it in the below video.
Yesterday, I did something pretty drastic: I deleted the last 28 articles I’d published to Medium. These were longform pieces — most between 1,500 and 2,500 words — that required a lot of research and labor to write. They appeared first on my Substack newsletter as a benefit for paid subscribers, and then after about a month I’d republish them here.
My goals were twofold: First, I wanted to generate some additional revenue through Medium’s metered paywall. Second, I hoped to drive signups to my newsletter through a call-to-action at the bottom of the articles. …
Welcome to my weekly roundup of media industry news. If you want more content like this in your inbox, sign up for my newsletter at this link:
Ok, let’s jump right into it:
This audiobook studio turned The Martian into an international success
Why it’s interesting: You probably remember The Martian as a Matt Damon film, but a studio that specializes in adapting self-published ebooks into audiobooks is what put the story on the map.
The Athletic kept growing even without live sports
Why it’s interesting: Wow. The Athletic managed to get to 1 million paying subscribers during a pandemic when virtually no sports were being played.
Serial podcast sold to The New York Times
Why it’s interesting: Looks like The New York Times paid $25…
Welcome to my weekly roundup of media industry news. If you want more content like this in your inbox, sign up for my newsletter at this link:
Ok, let’s jump right into it:
Newsrooms should enlist their reporters to sell subscriptions
Why it’s interesting: More newsrooms should brainstorm about how to get their reporters more involved in helping to push paid subscriptions, since in many cases those reporters have much deeper connection to the media outlet’s audience.
Bloomberg editor admonishes his journalists for publishing “boring and long” articles
Why it’s interesting: This is certainly an interesting way for an editor to begin a memo to his staff: “We are still publishing too many enterprise stories that are either mediocre…
Welcome to my weekly roundup of media industry news. If you want more content like this in your inbox, sign up for my newsletter at this link:
Ok, let’s jump right into it:
Howard Stern could soon face off with Joe Rogan in the podcast wars
Why it’s interesting: SiriusXM owns, like Spotify, virtually every part of the podcast stack. The question is whether it’s actually in a position to challenge Spotify for dominance in the space.
Don’t underestimate Spotify’s advertising revenue potential
Why it’s interesting: I think the argument in the below article underestimates how big the podcast advertising potential is for Spotify. Thus far, it hasn’t been able to put ads in front of its paying users…
Welcome to my weekly roundup of media industry news. If you want more content like this in your inbox, sign up for my newsletter at this link:
Ok, let’s jump right into it:
Why Barstool Sports pivoted to stock market trading
Why it’s interesting: “In only two months, [Barstool Sports’s] Davey Day Trader has become a more-searched term than Jim Cramer.”
Barstool’s pivot to stock market trading makes sense when you consider that stock trading is an elite form of gambling.
How musicians can grow their YouTube following
Why it’s interesting: Are you a musician who wants to grow an audience with online video? You better be ready to produce lots of song covers.
A cool story about a niche news startup
Why…
Welcome to my weekly roundup of media industry news. If you want more content like this in your inbox, sign up for my newsletter at this link:
Ok, let’s jump right into it:
Why publishers struggled to grow their native advertising operations
Why it’s interesting: Publishers can talk up the lofty editorial ambitions of branded content, but at the end of the day, those who call all the shots are still marketers and sales staff.
Bloomberg Media is much bigger than you think it is
Why it’s interesting: Bloomberg Media apparently has “2,700 reporters, editors, and analysts working in 120 bureaus around the world.”
Conde Nast has built out a large video and podcast apparatus
Why it’s interesting: Looks like Conde Nast has built up an impressive lineup of podcast…
Welcome to my weekly roundup of media industry news. If you want more content like this in your inbox, sign up for my newsletter at this link:
Ok, let’s jump right into it:
The myth of the creator who’s an “overnight success”
Why it’s interesting: A lot of times when you think a creator is an “overnight success,” it actually turns out they put in countless hours of work before they blew up.
Amazon is a secret media behemoth
Why it’s interesting: We don’t always think of Amazon as a media powerhouse, but think of all the media properties it owns: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Twitch, Audible, Kindle publishing, and the Echo.
I’d buy…
Welcome to my weekly roundup of media industry news. If you want more content like this in your inbox, sign up for my newsletter at this link:
Ok, let’s jump right into it:
Original series are scoring some big wins on Snapchat
Why it’s interesting: “In the first quarter of 2020, more than 60 shows on Snapchat attracted at least 10 million unique viewers each month, compared to 50 shows in the fourth quarter of 2019.”
Facebook News is steering clear of horse race politics, for now
Why it’s interesting: “The most notable thing about Facebook News is that it includes almost none of the stories that do well on the rest of Facebook.”
Paid subscribers picked up during quarantine are churning at low rates
Why it’s interesting: Readers who subscribed…
.jpg){kind=link}
