Mixed Signals from Semafor Media What actually mattered in 2025, with Janice Min and Emily Sundberg
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Dec 26, 2025 
Janice Min, CEO of The Ankler and veteran entertainment journalist, and Emily Sundberg, founder of the Feed Me newsletter, dive into the chaotic media landscape of 2025. They discuss YouTube's overwhelming influence and the collapse of traditional right-wing media following Charlie Kirk’s saga. The duo critiques media newsletter insularity and debates the future of Substack, including new monetization strategies. With predictions for 2026, they see growth in niche media startups and a shifting audience dynamic around partisan personalities.
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YouTube as The Central Distribution Power
- YouTube emerged as the dominant distribution platform reshaping creators, podcasts, and streaming decisions.
- Janice Min says YouTube's reach explains shifts at Netflix and the migration of audio shows into video.
Yoga Retreat Turned Political Wake-Up
- Emily Sundberg describes returning from a yoga retreat to a transformed, politically charged media environment after the Charlie Kirk story.
- She uses the contrast to show how single events can rapidly pull people into media conversations.
Broadcast News Is No Longer Mass Media
- Traditional broadcast news audiences have shrunk drastically and no longer command mass attention.
- Janice Min argues CBS News and similar properties are small businesses compared with digital audiences.