CONSEQUENCE

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've spent the last several weeks speaking with independent publishers about potential ways to support one another. With CONSEQUENCE, I have had a first-hand view of the media landscape for 17 **long** years. And I can say with certainty that this current era is the most volatile and unnerving time for all media companies, but most especially independent publishers. Social media platforms, after years of building up their user bases on the backs of publishers supplying them with endless amounts of free content, are mostly out of the content distribution business. AI has completely thrown the future of search on its head. Subscriptions and email marketing are now the most reliable forms of audience growth and retention, and yet subscription fatigue is a very real thing, as evidenced by the consolidation of streamers. Not to mention the cost of creating compelling new content each and every day. While I'm heartened to see stories about OpenAI and Google striking deals with publishers such as NY Times and Hearst to pay for their content, we've also seen these pay-to-play deals before, and usually they don't end well (see: the stark reality facing media companies in Australia after Meta recently announced it will no longer renew its commercial agreements). I also know that such deals are usually reserved for publishers with the largest scale. When it comes to the "little guys," we're on an island of our own, left fighting for revenue, users, and traffic amidst massive headwinds that are only going stronger by the day. No one is coming to our rescue, which is both unfortunate and short-sighted given that many of the best and most resourceful pieces of journalism are often found on independent sites. How many of today's best musicians got their first break after receiving initial exposure on a small music blog? And how many publications still around today are dedicating hours of time each week listening to submissions from up-and-coming artists, or watching screeners of self-directed films from a first-time filmmakers? If you thought our pop culture was homogenized now just wait until these last few publications are gone. While I am under no delusion that this warning will change the minds of any big players (or even be read by them in the first place), I have been heartened by the conversations I have had in recent weeks with fellow independent publishers. Despite the aforementioned challenges, there remains a collective of talented and passionate individuals who remain committed to giving it their all. They continue to invest in art, and continue to create content that goes against the grain. What I have also learned is that these individuals share the same perspective as I do: for all of us to succeed going forward, it's essential that we view each other as partners and not competitors. (See the rest of my note in the comments) #media #mediaindustry #journalism #publishing

If you're going to weekend one of Coachella and are interested in covering the festival for CONSEQUENCE, please reach out! We're currently commissioning a piece. #coachella #musicfestival #musicindustry

Today, CONSEQUENCE publishes its first non-music cover story: an illuminating behind-the-scenes look at the making of Masters of the Air, the third and final World War 2 limited series from Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Gary Goetzman following the masterful Band of Brothers and under-appreciated The Pacific. As a history junkie who has binged Band of Brothers and The Pacific too many times to count, I've been eagerly anticipating this series since it was initially announced way back in 2019. Liz Shannon Miller graciously entertained my idea to do a cover on the series, and then proceeded to write a story that exceeded even my grandest expectations. Go, Liz! Also, thank you to the team at Apple, including Hannah Stamer, for helping this entire cover story come to fruition. The series premieres on Friday. I hope you'll watch -- and read our cover. → cos.lv/8u8q50Qu3e5 #television #tv #history #appletv #appletvplus #ww2 #mastersoftheair #coverstory