Athletic, Axios talking merger?

[Screwball]

I don't think anyone on Substack gives up a good job to go to that platform.

Marc Stein Leaving New York Times, Moving to Substack

 

[goalmouth]

How many newsletters can one person subscribe to? I don't hear ANYTHING from civilians about Substack.

 

[Old Crank]

Marc Stein Leaving New York Times, Moving to Substack

Well, slap me on the belly with a frozen fish.

 

[Sports Barf]

Substack is the new "Why I'm joining The Athletic" but for hacks claiming they've been cancelled

 

[gingerbread]

Substack is the new "Why I'm joining The Athletic" but for hacks claiming they've been cancelled

This makes no sense. How have Marc or Molly been cancelled? Marc, for one, is widely respected in the industry.

More likely, it's a quality of life decision. No editors, for one (that would drive me crazy; I love editors and sometimes editing). Write what you want, when you want, however long you want. Travel, or don't.

I do wonder if leagues and teams will credential writers from substack. The BBWAA and other sports media orgs give out lifetime honorary credentials, but they're rare. And one of the things we take for granted when working for a media org is the office managers who spend way too much time fighting on the behalf of reporters for credentials.

 

[Sports Barf]

This makes no sense. How have Marc or Molly been cancelled? Marc, for one, is widely respected in the industry.

More likely, it's a quality of life decision. No editors, for one (that would drive me crazy; I love editors and sometimes editing). Write what you want, when you want, however long you want. Travel, or don't.

I do wonder if leagues and teams will credential writers from substack. The BBWAA and other sports media orgs give out lifetime honorary credentials, but they're rare. And one of the things we take for granted when working for a media org is the office managers who spend way too much time fighting on the behalf of reporters for credentials.

Bari Weiss is always whining that everyone's trying to cancel her, and then she'll turn around and write weird shirt like "I was taking a bath the other night sipping a martini and thought to myself, is it morally right for Israel to bomb innocent Palestinian children?"

 

[tapintoamerica]

I don't think anyone on Substack gives up a good job to go to that platform. A friend of mine just started a newsletter on it because he got the axe from the publication that previously employed him. Ragu's description of the financial arrangement sounds like what my friend told me. My friend is charging 60 bucks a year for his newsletter, which is on one particular sport, and hoping that will provide a living since he's a touch young for retirement.

I wonder how many people have done this and have 10 or fewer subscribers. Could be a real kick to the ego.

 

[dixiehack]

I wonder how many people have done this and have 10 or fewer subscribers. Could be a real kick to the ego.

It amazes me how many friends on Facebook will tell me "You should be a writer!" without ever knowing that I was one for years. I try to explain that I've grown fond of having groceries and healthcare, but still they insist. I ought to invite them to subscribe to my (non-existent) Substack just to hear the chorus of crickets.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Most of the newsletters on Substack are free. Some are mostly free, but offer premium content for a subscription fee.

But given the revenue numbers that were being reported earlier this year, I'd bet that there are maybe a few dozen writers (if that many) generating at least 75 percent of that revenue. Underneath them, you have thousands of people offering free content on the platform, maybe some trying to charge something but not garnering any following. Most of the stuff on there is free content.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

I wonder how many people have done this and have 10 or fewer subscribers. Could be a real kick to the ego.

I don't need to start a Substack to know I'd have 10 or fewer subscribers.

 

[SixToe]

How many newsletters can one person subscribe to? I don't hear ANYTHING from civilians about Substack.

Agree. I've never heard anyone say anything even remotely akin to "I was reading this on Substack from Ollie Opinionator and it said this and that."

Who's reading all these Substack newsletters? How many of them do they read a day before listening to all the podcasts they're supposed to listen to and then get their work done before checking social media and enjoying a final podcast and one last pre-bedtime Substack newsletter? It has to be exhausting.

 

[Alma]

Agree. I've never heard anyone say anything even remotely akin to "I was reading this on Substack from Ollie Opinionator and it said this and that."

Who's reading all these Substack newsletters? How many of them do they read a day before listening to all the podcasts they're supposed to listen to and then get their work done before checking social media and enjoying a final podcast and one last pre-bedtime Substack newsletter? It has to be exhausting.

Substack is increasingly where the, uh, "progressive resistance" has gone. Writers and readers.