Thursday 25th March: Medium, the platform with more pivots than a see-saw factory

March 25, 2021

Good Morning. How can it be Thursday's Media Roundup already? Anyway, it's been brought to you by Peter.

Cards on the table, I love Medium. I always have, way back to its first iteration when you had to be invited to write on the platform and I snagged myself an invite. But be perfectly clear, I love the writing on Medium. Their business model(s) have generally sucked.

Today, Ev Williams has pivoted the platform for the umpteenth time, shifting from a metered paywall model to what looks like a Substack-clone that will allow CREATORS to charge their audience directly. This latest switcheroo tosses their editorial staff under the bus, although with a five month payout.

Will this pivot stick? Who knows, but industry sentiment is somewhat less than supportive. Casey Newton said: "It’s very rare to see a Silicon Valley company managed as poorly as Medium for such a long time. I feel awful for all the great journalists who have worked there over the years, who deserve so much better than this." Readers too.

WIRED is looking for new voices to provide an insider perspective on rapidly changing industries. The WIRED Resilience Residency will bring in professionals whose careers have been upended by the pandemic, climate change or new technologies. Successful residents will report from their fields for six months.

Beginning Star Wars Day (May the 4th) Mail Metro Media will sell all print advertising for The Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph and associated magazines under a multi-year contract. “This change will allow the team at the Telegraph to continue to focus on its successful subscriptions-first strategy," said TMG CEO Nick Hugh.

WhatsApp's popularity in Latin America and Africa is creating an opportunity for digital-first titles and smaller newsrooms. The secret lies in design and story lengths that keep readers engaged and nurturing a small number of committed subscribers who will act as a distribution network.

Throwback Thursday

Seeing WIRED's plans to expand the relevance of their content by for bringing in non-journalist to report on their experiences reminded me of our interview with WIRED’s Editor-in-Chief Nicholas Thompson and the brand’s positioning as a tech magazine in a digital world.

This Friday 26th March is the last opportunity for you to get your hands on a print programme or gift box (UK only) ahead of the awards ceremony in April. And even if you're not planning to get any goodies, you'll still need to register for a virtual ticket in order to attend the awards. Sign up now.