Simon Owens's Media Newsletter
@simonowens.skystack.xyz
A newsletter about how publishers create, distribute, and monetize their digital content. This newsletter is free to subscribe to.
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This is an automated Substack Account of https://simonowens.substack.com
Discover more/Create at: @skystack.xyz
The successful YouTube channels hiding in plain sight • PLUS: Why podcast ads are more effective than YouTube ads
The successful YouTube channels hiding in plain sight
PLUS: Why podcast ads are more effective than YouTube ads
simonowens.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:44 AM
The successful YouTube channels hiding in plain sight • PLUS: Why podcast ads are more effective than YouTube ads
How the Kyiv Independent used global sympathy to generate membership revenue • Chief Operating Officer Zakhar Protsiuk explained how the outlet launched a Guardian-style membership offering without a paywall.
How the Kyiv Independent used global sympathy to generate membership revenue
Chief Operating Officer Zakhar Protsiuk explained how the outlet launched a Guardian-style membership offering without a paywall.
simonowens.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 5:44 PM
How the Kyiv Independent used global sympathy to generate membership revenue • Chief Operating Officer Zakhar Protsiuk explained how the outlet launched a Guardian-style membership offering without a paywall.
Why legacy news outlets are embracing Substack • PLUS: AI has turned the copywriting industry into a bloodbath.
Why legacy news outlets are embracing Substack
PLUS: AI has turned the copywriting industry into a bloodbath.
simonowens.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Why legacy news outlets are embracing Substack • PLUS: AI has turned the copywriting industry into a bloodbath.
Why fashion influencers are pivoting to Substack • PLUS: YouTube CEO Neal Mohan is the most powerful person in media.
Why fashion influencers are pivoting to Substack
PLUS: YouTube CEO Neal Mohan is the most powerful person in media.
simonowens.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Why fashion influencers are pivoting to Substack • PLUS: YouTube CEO Neal Mohan is the most powerful person in media.
I'm tracking which brands are sponsoring newsletters • PLUS: Why Forbes is retooling its infamous contributor network.
I'm tracking which brands are sponsoring newsletters
PLUS: Why Forbes is retooling its infamous contributor network.
simonowens.substack.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:45 AM
I'm tracking which brands are sponsoring newsletters • PLUS: Why Forbes is retooling its infamous contributor network.
Which brands are sponsoring newsletters? • I've logged 402 newsletter sponsorships so far.
Which brands are sponsoring newsletters?
I've logged 402 newsletter sponsorships so far.
simonowens.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Which brands are sponsoring newsletters? • I've logged 402 newsletter sponsorships so far.
Why BroBible's staff bought the website back from the media company that had acquired it • Publisher Brandon Wenerd explained how breaking free of BroBible's parent company allowed it to adapt to the current media climate.
Why BroBible's staff bought the website back from the media company that had acquired it
Publisher Brandon Wenerd explained how breaking free of BroBible's parent company allowed it to adapt to the current media climate.
simonowens.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Why BroBible's staff bought the website back from the media company that had acquired it • Publisher Brandon Wenerd explained how breaking free of BroBible's parent company allowed it to adapt to the current media climate.
Why the founder of a popular cycling blog sold it and then left to launch a competitor • Wade Wallace launched Escape Collective in 2022 and grew it to 15,000 paid subscribers.
Why the founder of a popular cycling blog sold it and then left to launch a competitor
Wade Wallace launched Escape Collective in 2022 and grew it to 15,000 paid subscribers.
simonowens.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Why the founder of a popular cycling blog sold it and then left to launch a competitor • Wade Wallace launched Escape Collective in 2022 and grew it to 15,000 paid subscribers.
I'm looking for newsletters that monetize with ads • PLUS: Will every media outlet just eventually become a gambling company?
I'm looking for newsletters that monetize with ads
PLUS: Will every media outlet just eventually become a gambling company?
simonowens.substack.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:47 AM
I'm looking for newsletters that monetize with ads • PLUS: Will every media outlet just eventually become a gambling company?
How a failed horror movie director co-founded one of the most popular yoga channels on YouTube • Chris Sharpe co-founded two incredibly popular YouTube channels — Hilah Cooking and Yoga With Adriene.
How a failed horror movie director co-founded one of the most popular yoga channels on YouTube
Chris Sharpe co-founded two incredibly popular YouTube channels — Hilah Cooking and Yoga With Adriene.
simonowens.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:46 PM
How a failed horror movie director co-founded one of the most popular yoga channels on YouTube • Chris Sharpe co-founded two incredibly popular YouTube channels — Hilah Cooking and Yoga With Adriene.
The holiday web traffic surge isn't coming this year • PLUS: We're in the midst of another boom in podcast deal activity.
The holiday web traffic surge isn't coming this year
PLUS: We're in the midst of another boom in podcast deal activity.
simonowens.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:48 AM
The holiday web traffic surge isn't coming this year • PLUS: We're in the midst of another boom in podcast deal activity.
Inside Big Cabal Media’s Ambitious Plan to Build Africa’s Next Great Media Company • CEO Tomiwa Aladekomo explained how a company that started out as two blogs expanded into live events, a research firm, and even a film studio.
Inside Big Cabal Media’s Ambitious Plan to Build Africa’s Next Great Media Company
CEO Tomiwa Aladekomo explained how a company that started out as two blogs expanded into live events, a research firm, and even a film studio.
simonowens.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Inside Big Cabal Media’s Ambitious Plan to Build Africa’s Next Great Media Company • CEO Tomiwa Aladekomo explained how a company that started out as two blogs expanded into live events, a research firm, and even a film studio.
How a former USA Today columnist launched his own travel channel on YouTube • Jefferson Graham recently licensed his show PhotowalksTV to the Scripps News channel.
How a former USA Today columnist launched his own travel channel on YouTube
Jefferson Graham recently licensed his show PhotowalksTV to the Scripps News channel.
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
How a former USA Today columnist launched his own travel channel on YouTube • Jefferson Graham recently licensed his show PhotowalksTV to the Scripps News channel.
Why don't media outlets personalize their homepages? • PLUS: Patreon is leading the way in the fight against web enshittification.
Why don't media outlets personalize their homepages?
PLUS: Patreon is leading the way in the fight against web enshittification.
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Why don't media outlets personalize their homepages? • PLUS: Patreon is leading the way in the fight against web enshittification.
Why this business news outlet ditched advertising to focus entirely on paid subscriptions • Todd Scott believes the National Business Review's sole mission should be servicing its readers.
Why this business news outlet ditched advertising to focus entirely on paid subscriptions
Todd Scott believes the National Business Review's sole mission should be servicing its readers.
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Why this business news outlet ditched advertising to focus entirely on paid subscriptions • Todd Scott believes the National Business Review's sole mission should be servicing its readers.
Not all media outlets are worried about declining Google traffic • PLUS: Why Vox is launching subscriptions on Patreon
Not all media outlets are worried about declining Google traffic
PLUS: Why Vox is launching subscriptions on Patreon
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Not all media outlets are worried about declining Google traffic • PLUS: Why Vox is launching subscriptions on Patreon
Why a former New York Times editor launched her own women-focused magazine • Francesca Donner grew frustrated by the lack of female voices at the mainstream media outlets she worked for.
Why a former New York Times editor launched her own women-focused magazine
Francesca Donner grew frustrated by the lack of female voices at the mainstream media outlets she worked for.
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Why a former New York Times editor launched her own women-focused magazine • Francesca Donner grew frustrated by the lack of female voices at the mainstream media outlets she worked for.
The media industry is bigger than you think it is • PLUS: How self-published authors are promoting their books through TikTok Shop
The media industry is bigger than you think it is
PLUS: How self-published authors are promoting their books through TikTok Shop
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
The media industry is bigger than you think it is • PLUS: How self-published authors are promoting their books through TikTok Shop
Why Business Insider's former editor went all in on evergreen video • With Dynamo, Nicholas Carlson is building a library of prestige content designed to appreciate in value over time.
Why Business Insider's former editor went all in on evergreen video
With Dynamo, Nicholas Carlson is building a library of prestige content designed to appreciate in value over time.
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Why Business Insider's former editor went all in on evergreen video • With Dynamo, Nicholas Carlson is building a library of prestige content designed to appreciate in value over time.
Why the YouTube vs Disney fight is different • PLUS: Should every major news publisher launch its own AI agent?
Why the YouTube vs Disney fight is different
PLUS: Should every major news publisher launch its own AI agent?
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Why the YouTube vs Disney fight is different • PLUS: Should every major news publisher launch its own AI agent?
Sports media is addicted to gambling • PLUS: Media executives are no longer focused on longterm growth.
Sports media is addicted to gambling
PLUS: Media executives are no longer focused on longterm growth.
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Sports media is addicted to gambling • PLUS: Media executives are no longer focused on longterm growth.
Using your severance pay as media startup capital • PLUS: It's time to stop judging a film's success by its box office returns.
Using your severance pay as media startup capital
PLUS: It's time to stop judging a film's success by its box office returns.
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Using your severance pay as media startup capital • PLUS: It's time to stop judging a film's success by its box office returns.
Patreon strikes back • PLUS: A new kind of AI slop hits YouTube.
Patreon strikes back
PLUS: A new kind of AI slop hits YouTube.
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Patreon strikes back • PLUS: A new kind of AI slop hits YouTube.
Does AI-generated content enhance our creativity or crush it? • PLUS: The case against Netflix's "binge drop" strategy
Does AI-generated content enhance our creativity or crush it?
PLUS: The case against Netflix's "binge drop" strategy
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Does AI-generated content enhance our creativity or crush it? • PLUS: The case against Netflix's "binge drop" strategy
Not every publisher is worried about the rise of AI • PLUS: Should Hollywood compete with YouTube or join it?
Not every publisher is worried about the rise of AI
PLUS: Should Hollywood compete with YouTube or join it?
simonowens.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Not every publisher is worried about the rise of AI • PLUS: Should Hollywood compete with YouTube or join it?