Substack's Early Struggles

Substack faced backlash for hosting white-supremacist newsletters in 2023.

“Substack Has a Nazi Problem”

The Platform's Growth

Substack grew to five million paid subscribers after launching in 2017.

Recent Funding Success

Substack closed a $100 million Series C round at a $1.1 billion valuation last year.

McKenzie's Book Title

McKenzie's memoir How to Save the Media suggests Substack can fix media's decline.

“How to Save the Media”

McKenzie's Interview

McKenzie called Substack's direct relationships model the key to saving media.

“I’m always going to be like a broken record coming back to the importance of direct relationships”

Nazi Newsletter Controversy

Over 200 writers wrote an open letter opposing Substack's hands-off moderation.

Platform's Current Position

Substack remains the go-to home for independent journalists and new media operations.

Bari Weiss Connection

Bari Weiss left The New York Times to build The Free Press on Substack.

Weiss's Career Shift

Weiss became CBS News editor in chief after Substack success.

McKenzie's Writing Career

McKenzie worked at Tesla and faced threats from Elon Musk over his book.

Substack's Independence

Substack avoided acquisitions from Twitter and X to maintain independence.

Media Fragmentation

Political discourse spreads across many newsletters with minimal overlap.