The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

Four Years of The Dispatch

Oct 18, 2023

Steve Hayes, world-renowned cheese curd enthusiast, joins Jonah Goldberg to reflect on the state of The Dispatch. They discuss the success and growth of The Dispatch over the last four years, the challenges faced in terms of growth and revenue, the importance of trust and honesty with their audience, the challenges of covering the 2020 election, the development and future plans of The Dispatch, and their objections and concerns about bringing back The Corner group blog.

01:03:07

Episode guests

Steve Hayes

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The Dispatch has experienced significant growth in the past four years, with 40,000 paying members and 350,000 free listeners, and aims to reach 100,000 paid subscribers.

The Dispatch is focused on expanding its community and enhancing reader-writer interactions through various initiatives, aiming to create stronger connections and meaningful exchanges of ideas.

The Dispatch is considering introducing a new tier of membership to provide additional benefits and generate more revenue, while prioritizing the integrity of their content and incorporating member feedback.

Deep dives

The Dispatch's State and Growth

The podcast episode discusses the current state and growth of The Dispatch. The CEO, Steve Hayes, mentions that they have been pleasantly surprised by the growth over the past four years, with around 40,000 paying members and 350,000 free listeners. They express their gratitude for the loyal readership and their goal to reach 100,000 paid subscribers. They also discuss their annual state of The Dispatch podcast and the importance of transparency and honesty in their editorial process.

Introduction

2min

Four Years of Success and Growth

2min

Facing Challenges, Building Trust, and Achieving Growth

3min

The Importance of Trust and Honesty with the Audience

17min

Challenges of Covering the 2020 Election

15min

The Development and Future Plans of 'The Dispatch'

10min

Bringing Back The Corner: Objections and Concerns

10min

Unable to secure an interesting guest or topic of conversation for today’s Remnant, Jonah is forced to invite Steve Hayes—his benevolent business partner and world-renowned cheese curd enthusiast—back to the program for their annual reflection on the state of The Dispatch. All of the obvious topics are addressed, including how The Dispatch is doing, what goals have been achieved, and what’s coming next as things continue to grow. But loyal listeners will also want to tune in for answers to some common questions. How has election coverage changed over time, and what will The Dispatch do in 2024 to set itself apart? What will it take for The Dispatch to attract new readers and continue to expand? And will a Corner-style blog ever surface on the site, or will Steve remain blinded to its usefulness by a haze of beer and Buffalo sauce?

Show Notes:

- The Dispatch’s manifesto

- The Skiff, a new podcast feed exclusively for Dispatch members

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