Strategy

Summary: The publishing industry has historically relied on the “write once, sell many times” model, incurring high fixed costs for creation but recovering them through low-marginal-cost distribution — a system amplified by digital media like podcasts and videos. AI disrupts this by enabling personalized content generation for each user, but this new model contradicts the…

In this interview with Paul Gewuerz, we speak about the accelerating disruption AI poses to publishing, local media, and the broader economy. I share my insights from my decades long career in B2B publishing and my current work helping publishers bridge the gap between technology and strategy. We talk about why AI may not be…

The following is taken from one of Bo Sacks’ recent emails. The image above is not real — it’s from ChatGPT. BoSacks Speaks Out: Greg Krehbiel is one of those media professionals who always makes you think, whether you agree with him or not. On his LinkedIn page, he describes his work this way: “I…

Summary: Modern technology often delivers real improvements, but the benefits come with hidden costs and new hassles for consumers. What used to be simple and free now lives behind subscriptions, inside special gadgets, with recurring fees that leave us wondering whether “better” is really better. I’m a Redskins fan. My best friend is a Ravens…

Summary: The culture and publishing go through cycles: vitality, excess, decline, collapse, and eventual revival. Renewal is already stirring. There are hopeful signs: a shift away from ad-supported free content, the rise of new media and podcasts, ongoing experimentation similar to early newsletter days, and the potential of AI as a helpful tool. The September…

Summary: People are sick of doing business with rapacious companies that put profits above people. This presents an opportunity for honest businesses. I don’t mean human vs. AI (also worth considering). I mean human vs. monster. Here are some depressing statistics about humans. Somewhere between 1-6% of us are narcissists. Machiavellianism is similar, but a…

Summary: In what cases should you seek advice about your business, and from whom should you seek such advice? You want “informed advice,” and you need to be cautious about following it. It’s smart to ask for advice, but sometimes dumb to take it. The 21 Hats Podcast had an episode called “Who’s Advice are…

Summary: It’s important to know your customer. Know their needs, their wants, their values, their habits, and their preferences. But don’t call into the branding trap of believing they need to be your buddy. Bo Sacks distributed an article by James Evelegh with a rather long title that starts “An even closer union. How close…

Summary: Anchoring bias is a cognitive bias that makes us latch on to the first bit of data we hear. This post discusses eight ways to combat this bias. Daniel Kahneman might be best known for his book “Thinking Fast and Slow,” which I haven’t read, but I’ve read and heard a lot about Kahneman’s…

Summary: When an audience member’s engagement lags you need to take action. Here’s another quote from Amanda Landsaw’s talk at MACMA Industry Day. “Stay on top of inactivity in the database. If a known audience member has not visited in a certain number of days, send an email.” I’ve seen a surprising indifference to this…

Summary: Tricks and tools can help break through to new ideas. This article focuses on ways to get outside the ordinary and re-think and re-imagine your business, product, or project. The connection between writing and design is one of the issues raised in “Lessons on Branding from the World’s Most Iconic Cold,” distributed last night…