"Unfortunately, tech platforms have perfected the art of sucking all the money out of old and new media alike. Oops! Tons of journalists have been laid off. Many of us, due mostly to a lack of other options, have gone independent, launching our own publications and individual newsletters. Where there once was an industry full of newsrooms owned by big companies with money, we now have an industry full of self-employed hustlers."
"All of the independent journalist-hustlers today may not have legal employers, but they do have working relationships with newsletter companies, social media companies, tech platforms, and others whose policies can affect them just as much as a traditional employer's policies affect employees. What cut of a writer's revenues go to providers like Substack and Stripe? How do these companies create the algorithms that can make or break a creator's ability to attract an audience?"
Journalists unionized print media in the last century, transforming the profession into an almost middle-class job. The internet's arrival caused print decline and a rise in online media, followed by unionization in online newsrooms. Tech platforms then drained revenue from both old and new media, triggering mass layoffs. Many journalists became independent, launching personal publications and newsletters and becoming self-employed creators. Independent writers lack traditional employers but rely on newsletter companies, social platforms, payment processors, and algorithms that shape audience access. Platform revenue splits and opaque algorithmic decisions remain controlled by companies. Collective organization and solidarity are necessary to secure input and protections.
Read at Nieman Lab
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