Yesterday, *New York Magazine*, a biweekly publication based in New York, unveiled its “Power Issue,” highlighting the inside scoop from "57 of the most powerful people in media"—including, notably, me. See More...
The spread featured moody black-and-white photos, giving all of us, unremarkable in appearance, the brooding air of characters from a Martin Scorsese film. During my shoot, the photographer—flown in from the Netherlands for the occasion—kept me talking to capture candid shots. At one point, he asked, “So, what’s it like to be one of the most powerful people in media?” Without missing a beat, I replied, “It’s an illusion. It means nothing.”
Few industries love to talk about themselves as much as the media does. The sad part is that it’s becoming an increasingly irrelevant bubble, with fewer and fewer people listening in. The idea that we wield any real power is rather pitiful. While I still have faith in traditional media, most of the featured names have little relevance in today’s rapidly shifting cultural landscape. Even the reporter writing the piece seemed bored, yawning through our interview. I couldn’t help but shout—politely, of course—"You’re so bored!" as I tried to offer provocative quotes like, "Anything resembling *The New Republic* is doomed."
The true power in media today lies with writers and creators who have a direct connection with their audience. They’re the ones influencing minds and shaping culture, not the CNN executives, Hearst editors, or TV anchors who’ve become background noise for retirees nodding off after dinner. For the most part, the power brokers of yesteryear now manage dwindling media empires with little ability to persuade anyone, while creators in new media command growing audiences and more diverse viewpoints. The difference between the “Group of 57” and today’s independent creators.
And thank goodness for that. We desperately need alternatives to centralized media power. The world’s most important voices should be free from the grip of corporate media and its reliance on ad dollars, whether it’s NBC, the *Wall Street Journal*, Facebook, or X.
We’re in the creators' economy now, and this shift will only gain momentum as more creators recognize the value of owning their platforms and earning directly from subscribers who trust them—not advertisers.
The best part of *New York Magazine*’s piece was a small section titled “Some Newsletters People Fork Out For...,” showcasing Substack writers and publications that the media elite actually pay for. In my opinion, that’s the real power list. You should check them out.