One of the world’s most storied newsrooms is opening its doors to anyone with an opinion and a laptop.
What happened: As part of a new initiative, codenamed Ripple, the Washington Post will start allowing Substack creators and amateur columnists to write opinion articles for the paper as soon as this fall, according to the New York Times.
- The goal is to give readers a wider range of perspectives than the Post’s current op-eds, but higher quality than random rants on Reddit or X.
- Eventually, the non-professional writers will be assisted by an AI coach named Ember that will help them workshop their piece before a human editor reviews the final draft.
Why it matters: This is a clear sign that creator-led platforms like Substack are winning over audiences. The Post, which has faced serious subscriber churn and high-profile staff departures, is acknowledging where the attention — and money — is heading.
- Substack alone has 5 million paid subscribers, 1 million of which were added between November and March. On the creator side, it now boasts over 50 writers making at least US$1 million a year.
Bottom line: In the age of social media, independent voices with online followings can rival the influence of entire newsrooms. By inviting creators in, the Post is trying to stay relevant without completely losing control of its once-heralded reputation.—LA