Washington Post in Talks With Substack About Using its Writers
fliptop writes:
Newspaper could join legacy media brands in embracing newsletter platform:
The Washington Post has held talks with Substack about hosting pieces by its writers, the site's co-founder has said, as a host of legacy media brands embrace the newsletter platform in the battle for readers.
In an interview with the Guardian, Substack's Hamish McKenzie said he had spoken to the Post about its plans to widen the types of opinion pieces on its website.
He said there had been a "change in mindset" from traditional media, which once viewed Substack with suspicion. He said many now saw the platform as an opportunity to adapt to what he described as "the most significant media disruption since the printing press".
[...] Substack has become increasingly influential since its launch in 2017. It allows anyone to publish and distribute digital content, primarily through newsletters, and charge a subscription. It has also been branching out into podcasts and video.
[...] McKenzie said Substack was trying to find new workable models for media amid the struggles of traditional outlets to hold on to rapidly fragmenting audiences. "It's not a problem with demand for quality journalism," he said. "It's a problem with the business model and so there has to be a reinvention. We're almost at the point where the fire has razed through the forest and there are a few trees still standing. It's time to replant the forest. We're living through the most significant media disruption since the printing press."
Originally spotted on The Honest Broker.
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