As Alex says, the ground is shifting more and faster than it has in some time in the tech world, which usually means gaping craters are opened to swallow up media companies. We discuss the Reddit IPO, X apparently pivoting to video – we recorded this prior to Don Lemmon announcing he wouldn’t be launching his show on X after an apparently disastrous interview with Elon Musk pissed off Musk, go figure – and the effort to ban TikTok.

We also have a guest this week. Tony Stubblebine joined us to discuss where Medium fits in the information space. We talked to Tony about how Medium aims to be the place for expert content, why journalism is apparently expensive to produce because journalists have to learn about the stuff they cover, and the frequent misalignment of incentives in the media business, particularly ones reliant on advertising.

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Topics:

00:00 Introducing the Voicemail Feature: A New Way to Engage
01:44 Welcome to People vs. Algorithms: Unpacking Media and Tech Shifts
02:06 Deep Dive into Reddit's IPO and the Future of Social Platforms
02:44 Exploring Medium's Journey and Its Place in the Digital World
04:29 Listener Engagement and the Future of Podcasting
05:18 Analyzing Reddit's Strategy and Its Impact on the Digital Landscape
16:17 X Pivoting to Video
19:46 The Controversial Debate: The Potential TikTok Ban
25:20 Apple's Strategy and the Shifting Tech Landscape
32:21 Medium's New Direction Under CEO Tony Stubblebine
40:44 Evaluating Medium's Pivot to Subscription and Target Author Strategy
41:26 The Power of Expert Content in the Digital Age
43:03 The Debate Over Text vs. Video Content
44:05 The Importance of Writing in an Evolving Internet
44:55 Addressing Changing Consumer Habits and Content Consumption
48:56 The Future of Twitter and Social Media Platforms
50:36 Exploring Federation and Content Distribution Strategies
51:37 Navigating Negotiations with AI Companies
55:17 The Potential and Challenges of Reddit's IPO
58:13 The Role of Medium in Independent Expert Content Creation
59:39 Reflecting on the State of Professional Media
01:08:33 Closing Thoughts and Future Directions
01:11:12 The Impact of Advertising on Business and Culture

Platform Shifts

People vs Algorithms