Sophic Co

Venture funding and media have historically not had a very successful relationship – the realities of media company business models and the goals of a venture investor are just too different to really work. So it's interesting to see alternative funding models for content companies. #media #startupfunding #mediastartups https://lnkd.in/eBUHiYG2

We are huge proponents of experimental revenue models for publishers, fully believing that the limited scope of monetization ideas (ads or subs!) of the past is partly responsible for the current troubles of the industry. This from the FT: "A US hedge fund has raised $100mn to make trades based on articles by its affiliated newsroom, launching a novel experiment in funding investigative reporting as the media industry suffers a fresh round of lay-offs." https://lnkd.in/ejdjEuJG #media #newmedia

Technology has by-and-large led the disruption of media by reducing the friction content creators face reaching audiences directly. Whether this has been good or bad mostly depends on your ability to capitalize on this disruption. But hitching your ride to a tech company can lead to dependency risk that is largely out of your control. The latest case in point: Substack's shift to a "social hub" with some writers claiming they have experienced a decline in subscription growth rates since the changes took effect. #substack #media #newmedia https://lnkd.in/em2ZdmaS

Over a period when many industries have consolidated to just a handful of large winners (Magnificent 7), the media industry has struggled with the opposite effect: increasing dispersion due to a growth in platforms and the ability for independent content creators to cost-effectively reach niche audiences. The profit drivers of the past are dead or severely curtailed. So what is the media industry's path forward? What innovations will solve this problem? https://lnkd.in/euHC4Wjy (gift article for anyone interested ...) #mediaindustry #media #mediainnovation #innovation #startups