I'm up to my elbows at my day job in email and newsletters right now because it has become such a key product for our membership growth strategy. Newsletters have become both a key part of building the kind of loyal audiences needed for subscriber and member revenue strategies, but they are also developing into another potential digital disruptor as staffers look to become creators on platforms like Substack. We look at both sides of those developments today.

We also have a quick look at the FT's shift to subscriber retention and pricing models for subscriptions. Thanks for reading, and if you find value in the newsletter, please forward to a friend.

The NYTimes Launches Substack Defence

The New York Times is readying a big newsletter push as Substack tries to poach its top writers with advances worth hundreds of thousands — www.businessinsider.com

The Times said in an internal memo Friday that managers have been fielding a number of requests about staffers wanting to start their own newsletters.

Newsletters have been very successful way for publishers to grow engaged audiences, and it has also been a way for writers to build a following and strike out on their own. This is one way for major publishers to respond.

What Substack Is Really Doing to the Media

Will Oremus does an excellent overview for Slate breaking down the impact of Substack on traditional publishers. My take on this is that six-figure payout newsletters are going to be very tempting for journalists, but it's important to remember the low sums in the long tail and how the head of the tail gets higher and smaller after the initial pioneering phase. That being said, there is a lot of value to be mined in niches.

The FT Shifts Focus to Subscriber Retention

To Ratchet Up Retention, the Financial Times Restructures Its Consumer Revenue Team — www.adweek.com

'It's not necessarily everyone's role to acquire customers, but it's definitely everyone's role to retain them.'

Pricing Strategies to Drive Subscriber Revenue

6 Pricing strategies to drive revenue growth - Digital Content Next — digitalcontentnext.org

The lifespan of a subscriber is dictated by how they perceive value in a service. They will simply cancel if their expectations are not met.

Bookmark this one. It's a great overview of pricing strategies covering a wider range of subscribers.

German Media and Tech Firms Sue Apple

Subscribe to the FT to read: Financial Times German groups file Apple antitrust complaint as it makes privacy changes

News, analysis and comment from the Financial Times, the worldʼs leading global business publication

Apple is responding to consumer demand for more privacy, and it's not clear that Axel Springer is on the right side of this issue.

How US Local TV Stations Are Adapting to Streaming

How local TV stations plan to remain relevant as viewers shift to streaming — www.cnbc.com

While the biggest media companies reorganized around streaming in the past 12 months, broadcast station groups are also planning their futures.

It's useful to look across industries to see their response to digital market developments.

Digital Tools for Media Pros

Top 10 new digital tools for media professionals | What’s New in Publishing | Digital Publishing News — whatsnewinpublishing.com

Imagine a free tool that can not only transcribe online interviews, but can also embed video quotes for your stories and social media — without the need for a single video editing skill. Or an open source app that can detect the tracking software attached to almost any site you visit. Or simply a tool …

Some useful tools including transcription and also a way to organise all those newsletters coming into your inbox.