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The Substackerati
Article

The Substackerati

Did a newsletter company create a more equitable media system – or replicate the flaws of the old one?

Clio Chang
Columbia Journalism Review, 2020
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Eye Opening
  • Overview

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. 

Take-Aways

  • Substack connects journalists’ newsletters to readers.
  • The first Substack writer started with a base of 30,000 social media followers; his newsletter makes a six-figure income.
  • While providing a new option for writers, Substack is not a publisher. It identifies itself as a platform.

About the Author

Brooklyn freelance journalist Clio Chang writes about politics, culture and media.

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