Platformer’s Casey Newton on surviving the great media collapse and what comes next
Decoder with Nilay Patel
Distinguishing between Audience and Traffic
There is a crucial difference between having an audience and just having traffic, with the former being more valuable. Media companies often become overly reliant on platforms like Google for traffic, neglecting to focus on building a loyal and authentic audience. It is emphasized that people should know and care about what they are reading in a media publication. The separation between editorial and business aspects in media companies has safeguarded integrity but hindered collaborative success. The speaker's platform ensures authenticity by not accepting advertising from entities they cover. The struggle to differentiate between building an audience and obtaining traffic lies in the challenge of distribution, particularly on algorithmic platforms where changes can lead to starting over. This predicament is exemplified by many YouTubers experiencing burnout due to platform shifts, resulting in content homogenization.
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