Substack's newsletter service has long been presented as the promised land for independent journalists. What assessment is being made of how the platform is being used?
There has never been a better time to launch your newsletter. Journalists seeking independence are multiplying, audiences are expressing distrust of mainstream media, and tools now make it possible to generate revenue from independent writing. Among these, the California-based platform Substack, which allows you to create subscription newsletters. Kessel, a similar service, is launching to conquer the French market. For journalists, are these financial windfalls or false promises? We're sharing the key takeaways from this study on Substack conducted by Shira Zilberstein for the Tow Center for Digital Journalism and published in the Columbia Journalism Review.
Independence remains the key argument
Because of its lack of advertising and the complete freedom it offers its users, Substack is seen by journalists as an alternative to the pressures from large media companies to produce content. "[My newsletter] is entirely funded by subscriptions," explains a political journalist. "By asking my readers to support me, I feel obligated to produce quality content… not clickbait designed to make an advertiser happy." Beyond these ethical considerations, independence also allows freelancers to improve their quality of life. Between the many follow-ups, sometimes paltry payments, and working under pressure, independent newsletters give journalists the ability to control their own work pace.
The platform helps you build a reputation
Among those surveyed, many explain that they launched on Substack to establish themselves as experts in a niche field. The goal? To attract the interest of media companies and land a contract. These are generally recent graduates and journalists looking to add new strings to their bow. Independent newsletters are thus perceived both as a learning tool and as a resource to demonstrate one's ability to write on a given subject, to show critical thinking, and to propose original angles for addressing it. While the newsletter eliminates the sometimes-dreaded step of editorial review in newsrooms, several journalists interviewed nonetheless affirm their commitment to respecting professional ethical standards and codes to avoid confusing their newsletters with content perceived as too personal.
Between journalism and influence, blurred boundaries
Self-promotional tweets, emotional outbursts, obsession with metrics… Often, digital media pushes journalists to resort to the same strategies and habits as entrepreneurs and influencers to find and retain their audience. Indeed, salaried and freelance journalists don't hesitate to launch their own newsletter to share a freer voice. "My writing is much more honest on Substack, where criticism is possible, than in a traditional article," explains a journalist specializing in gender and politics issues. Having access to this personal space makes it possible to build a connection with a loyal audience. The only downside? The risk of blurring the boundaries between analysis and opinion, and between journalism and influence.
Twitter users fare better than others
Another significant group of journalists has turned to Substack as a lifeline after losing their jobs. But these individuals believe that producing content via this service is not sustainable in the long term. "If you launch a newsletter without an existing reader base or a significant number of active Twitter followers, it can be risky," notes a freelancer who chose to leave the platform. To make a decent living from newsletters, it's better to have several thousand subscribers, the report tells us. And audience fatigue from the proliferation of subscriptions doesn't work in favor of these authors when trying to grow their subscriber base. Ultimately, these precarious journalists believe that Substack mainly benefits their salaried peers who already enjoy the prestige of an established brand or name.
A few things to keep in mind
- Substack had 2,686 active newsletters in 2021, when the Tow Center conducted its study.
- Tech made up 18.3% of newsletter topics on the platform at that time, followed closely by culture and politics.
- Journalists represented 20% of content writers on Substack, behind authors and bloggers (39.4%).
- In their hyperlinks, newsletters redirect primarily to YouTube (77 %), Twitter (73 %), and the New York Times (59 %).
To go further
- Rather than creating a newsletter in your own name, what if you thought about a media brand for it, like Vert or TechTrash? A few ideas and best practices for a well-designed newsletter.
- To stay informed, discover literary recommendations, or test new work tools, newsletters are our best allies. Here is the top 50 from the Médianes team.
- What we know about Kessel, the new subscription-based newsletter platform launched by Adrien Labastire, co-founder of the video production company Golden Moustache.
