The Talk Show With John Gruber 408: ‘Good Enough to Be Pesky’, With Taegan Goddard
Sep 1, 2024
Taegan Goddard, founder of the political news site Political Wire, shares his journey in independent media. He discusses the struggles and triumphs of launching a political blog during technological infancy and the evolution of online journalism. The conversation highlights the unique engagement of platforms like Political Wire compared to traditional media, the challenges of monetization through membership and ads, and the transformative impact of digital platforms on political commentary. Nostalgic anecdotes about politics and sports add a delightful touch!
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Political Wire's Origins
- Taegan Goddard's Political Wire was almost called Daring Fireball.
- The domain politicalwire.com was unavailable in 1997, so the site started as Political Insider.
No Theme Song
- John Gruber remembers arguing with Dan Benjamin about needing a theme song for their podcast.
- Gruber believed theme songs were often skipped, so they opted for cold opens instead.
Dithering's Format
- Dithering's 15-minute length was a starting point, open to adjustments later.
- Ads were never considered due to the show's short format and Ben Thompson's aversion to ads.