Audience Strategy: further reading (listening?)

Things that emerged from yesterday's Audience Strategy session with newspaper and podcast students at City:

What did the printing press do to society?

A fascinating — and alarming — Ezra Klein interview with Martin Gurri, who points out that the printing press was a contributory factor in the 30 years war, as the printing press fundamentally changed society in Europe.

Could the impact of the internet be even more dramatic?

Journalism in the age of Trump

Prospect's Media Confidential podcast has rapidly established itself as one of my must-listens. This was a particularly interesting one, as the hosts are grilled by students about the changing face of journalism — and Alan Rusbridger pulls out an interesting old Jeff Jarvis quote:

Everything is media

Never has that been truer.

Q&A: What’s the role of journalism in the age of Trump?

In this special episode, young journalists from Oxford Brookes put their questions to Alan and Lionel. Plus, Lionel attempts a cockney accent, with li…

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Inside the mind of Steve Bannon

This was a really interesting podcast about the influence Steve Bannon (late of Brietbart and now the War Room video show/podcast) on today's MAGA. Well worth a listen:

Steve Bannon wants to take Maga to 2028 and beyond

Despite falling out of favour with Trump in 2017, he’s maintained great influence over the movement.

New StatesmanPodcast

And the podcast itself was promoting this piece in the latest New Statesman issue:

The godfather of the Maga right

Steve Bannon on a US-Russia alliance, kinship with Blue Labour, and his war on modernity.

New StatesmanFreddie Hayward

Sarah Ebner on newsletters

This is interesting:

What has really changed is the rise of the personality-driven newsletter, showcasing someone who’s really good and making it an extra vehicle for them. They offer massive added value.

I do think there’s still a place for those traffic-driving ones, but for us, I would say our most successful newsletters are the big personality newsletters that our readers really value. The metrics for those are not traffic to the site or traffic at all. They are read in your inbox, with amazing bespoke exclusive content. And I think that’s what’s really changed.

FT head of newsletters on how title quadrupled email subscribers in four years

Publisher newsletter strategies: A masterclass interview with Financial Times head of newsletters Sarah Ebner.

Press GazetteDominic Ponsford