The Substackerati
Did a newsletter company create a more equitable media system – or replicate the flaws of the old one?
Recommendation
The Substack company offers freelance writers a new forum for generating income even as traditional media companies are cutting newsroom jobs. Some freelancers find they can produce newsletters on Substack that generate a meaningful income. However, this new journalistic pathway has limits. Substack itself states that it is only a “platform,” not a “publisher,” however, it intends to provide an infrastructure for writers who publish on its site. Anyone can start a newsletter, though the successful writers Clio Chang cites in her article in the Columbia Journalism Review are primarily white and male, with large, active Twitter followings – thus exemplifying current trends.
Summary
About the Author
Brooklyn freelance journalist Clio Chang writes about politics, culture and media.
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