In the last decade, with mass-market newspapers such as The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal laying off scores of career journalists and culture critics, many of these displaced writers have migrated to online platforms where they’re able to find new readers and maintain relationships with longtime supporters.
One of the most visible and versatile platforms, whether a writer is new or established, is Substack, founded in 2017 by Chris Best and Jairaj Sethi, both formerly of Kik Messenger, and Hamish McKenzie, an erstwhile tech reporter for PandoDaily. Substack is probably best known for its newsletters, but in the last couple of years, it’s become a popular platform for podcast creators, who use it to record episodes and house their series. For those who aren’t camera shy, Substack has likewise made available a video tool that allows writers and podcasters to broadcast and record live conversations with other creators.