The Athletic is right to go for it, and raise more VC money. Then, tech and politics is only becoming more complicated as national security concerns enter the debate.
The Aggregator Paradox
Google is winning with AMP and blocking ads in Chrome: both seem bad, but aren’t they actually good for consumers? That is the paradox of aggregation.
Facebook’s Motivations
The impact of Facebook’s News Feed changes on the media is far less interesting than what the changes — and their stated purpose — say about Facebook itself.
Meredith Buys Time Inc., Meredith’s Business, About the Koch Investment
Meredith is buying Time Inc.; most media coverage is focused on the Koch investment, but Meredith itself is far more interesting as a publisher that is succeeding.
Popping the Publishing Bubble, Revisited; BuzzFeed’s Struggles; Axios’ Success
News from BuzzFeed in particular suggest the digital publishing bubble may be bursting. Axios, meanwhile, shows that subscriptions aren’t the only answer — but niche may be.
The News Revenue Hub and Donations, Patreon’s Update, How Big is Patreon’s Market?
It might be the case that donations are the best match for local news, but other content creators still need to build a business. Patreon’s new update will help them do it, the only question is how many of them there are.
Faceless Publishers, Take 2; Internet Trends 2017
Defining faceless publishers is perhaps easier by describing what they are not; then, my favorite slides from Mary Meeker’s 2017 Internet Trends Report
Faceless Publishers
The missing piece when it comes to the future of media are faceless publishers. Vox Media’s deal with The Ringer shows the way.
Facebook Content Guidelines, Facebook Video, Amazon Prime Video on Apple TV
Facebook faces a daunting challenge when it comes to policing content, but it is a challenge the company brought on itself. Then, Facebook’s video tab is competing against YouTube, not Amazon or Netflix, and business models explain why — and probably explain the Amazon-Apple truce.
Facebook Earnings, Advertisers Won’t Save Local News, Bret Stephens and the NYT Business Model
Facebook’s earnings show that the company’s ads are differentiated. Then, advertisers won’t save local news, and a reminder that publications need to match their journalism with their business model.