Articles
Early Audience Development Doesn’t Scale and That’s Okay
When I think about some of the media companies I respect the most, I admire how loyal their audiences are and how…
The Trump Slump is Here
We are starting to get some signs of the slump that has followed the four years of Trump’s presidency. And as you…
Is The Telegraph Onto Something With Its STARS?
Normally, Friday pieces are reserved for premium members, but I decided to open this up for a couple of reasons. The first…
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Naomi Shah on Building Meet Cute One 15-Minute Romcom Episode At a Time
Jacob: You were on the investment team at Union Square Ventures before becoming the founder and CEO of Meet Cute. What provoked…
Tying Journalist Pay To Performance Is a Recipe for Bad Reporting
Every once in a while, a debate starts over whether financially incentivizing journalists depending on whether their content drives subscriptions is a…
Should We Consider Slowing Down Our Publishing?
Two weeks ago, I opened my mailbox and pulled out a magazine. I had recently subscribed to MIT Technology Review (after interviewing…
Do Events Companies Regret Selling Media Assets?
In the years prior to Covid, there was a major effort by events brands to shed digital assets. Events were in their…
Crypto Is a Distraction to 99% of Media
With all the rage around NBA Top Shot and people collecting digital moments of basketball players, there has been more discussion about…
Jesse Jacobs and Mike Kerns on Building The Chernin Group
Jacob:“I’d like to start a bit more personal and learn more about how you both found your way to not only working…
Publishers Are Beginning to Think About Post-Covid Events
Things are starting to feel a little different. Every time I talk to someone, there’s this sense of optimism. The United States…
Becoming a Data Business Has To Be a Company-Wide Endeavor
One of the core reasons startups are able to disrupt larger companies is because of their ability to quickly shift focus if…
Facebook Rejects Extortion Attempt While Google Acquiesces
Update: While this newsletter was preparing to send, news broke that Facebook would once again allow Australians to share news articles after…
Clubhouse and Twitter’s Spaces Are Great Opportunities For Engagement
It still amazes me that our reaction to sitting on far too many Zoom calls during quarantine was to rush onto an…
Does Content Equal Media Company?
It has become common to assign the label of “media company” to any company that creates content. This argument has popped up…
NYT’s Results Demonstrate a Return to Media Normalcy
I have been thinking a lot about the 2020 results from The New York Times. What was a failing business a decade…
Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau on The Digital Transformation of MIT Technology Review
Jacob Cohen Donnelly: While I was looking at your LinkedIn preparing for this episode, I noticed that you started as an associate…
Acquisitions Like The Hustle Will Mostly Target One Type of Publisher
One of the big joys of writing about the media business is when a company I’ve covered gets acquired. I’ve discussed The…
Building an Awards Business
Trust is one of the major byproducts of good media. Although we live in an era where trust in the media is…