In this conversation, Katie Harbath speaks with Hamish McKenzie, co-founder of Substack, about the transformative role of the platform in the media landscape. They discuss how Substack is redefining trust in journalism, the impact of AI on content creation, and the importance of direct relationships between creators and their audiences. McKenzie shares insights on the evolution of media from centralized control to a more democratic model, the challenges of navigating political discourse, and the future of journalism in an increasingly complex digital world.
Topics covered include:
* The Media Disruption Landscape
* Phases of Media Evolution
* Substack's Growth and Community Building
* Political Discourse and Responsibility
* Navigating Risks in Political Engagement
* Content Moderation and Free Speech
* Fostering Diverse Dialogue
* Scaling Challenges for Substack
* Navigating PR Challenges in Tech Companies
* The Role of AI in Publishing
* AI as a Tool for Creators
* Balancing Content Formats for Audience Engagement
* Subscription Models and Reader Fatigue
* The Journey from Journalism to Entrepreneurship
* Future Vision for Substack and Media Culture
* Reimagining Trust in Publishing
* Navigating AI and Creativity
You can follow Hamish on his Substack Disjointed and you can listen to his recent TED talk here.
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