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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