

S2 | E1 — Hamish McKenzie (Co-founder and Chief Writing Officer at Substack), on the Future of Media, Navigating the Culture Wars, and Empowering Creators.
15 snips Jul 4, 2024
Hamish McKenzie, co-founder and Chief Writing Officer at Substack, discusses his journey from New Zealand to leading a transformative platform for writers and creators. He delves into Substack's role in reshaping media, tackling culture wars, and enhancing direct reader support. McKenzie shares insights on the challenges of content moderation and the influence of AI in content creation. He also reflects on his time at Tesla, revealing lessons learned while working with Elon Musk that inform his vision for empowering independent creators.
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Early Writing
- Hamish McKenzie, Substack co-founder, started his writing journey at Otago University.
- He became editor of the student magazine, Critic, instead of formally studying journalism.
Accountability in Critique
- Be accountable for your critiques, especially when criticizing builders.
- Put your name to your work and stand behind it.
Journalism Journey
- Hamish McKenzie's journalism career took him from Hong Kong to the US.
- He witnessed the rise of social media and its impact on traditional journalism.