Building habit and loyalty that leads to subscriptions and membership is the coin of the realm these days in media businesses, and this is exactly what we have at Slate, which is looking to expand its advice column offerings based on this success.

Plus, how platforms are catering to creators from Axios and the nuances of the news avoidance and the post-Trump slump. And the latest moves in digital media consolidation.

How Platforms Are Catering to Creators

Tech giants have all become creator companies - Axios — www.axios.com

Most companies are copying each other in an effort to court creators from different platforms.

A handy rundown of all of the services for creators the platforms have rolled out recently.

Research into Pandemic News Fatigue

It's more than not wanting to hear bad news. "(N)ews is a turn-off for people who lack self-confidence in navigating an increasingly abundant and complicated media environment, the study finds."

Why do people avoid news? It’s not just because it makes them feel bad » Nieman Journalism Lab — www.niemanlab.org

Plus: How community-centered collaborative journalism really works in a pandemic, the impact of Sinclair on national political views, and the everyday tactics that shape whether young people trust news.

A good round up of academic research about news including this look at news fatigue.

Why We're Avoiding The News — jacobsmedia.com

Are consumers avoiding the news? Or are they looking for alternative ways to learn about current events through the lens of those they trust?

High Engagement Advice Content Drives Subs

Why Slate’s new money advice column is aimed at growing subscriptions and engagement — digiday.com

Slate's advice columns receive hundreds of submitted questions every week and each column receives hundreds of thousands of views.

Slate is adding a new advice column because it has been shown that they have high engagement that build a habit with audiences. Advice is "one of the top reasons people become Slate Plus members, said Bill Carey, Slate’s director of strategy."

It's part of the trend to leverage reporters' and columnists' distinct voices. With this strategy, it's more than just an article but other touchpoints including newsletters and social media. Gwen Vargo, director of reader revenue at American Press Institute, says "converting a reader to a subscriber is “the sum of everything — not just one article but every interaction that you’re having,”

How Brands Can Build Trust

Audience trust means authentication – and revenue - Digital Content Next — digitalcontentnext.org

After many years of gradual change, advertising is at a critical inflection point and must enact a new and transformational strategy.

This article is about how brands build trust as they advertise, but there are good lessons in transparency for news brands as well.

Today in Digital Media Consolidation

BuzzFeed in Talks to Acquire Complex Networks — The Information — www.theinformation.com

BuzzFeed is in talks to acquire digital lifestyle publisher Complex Networks as part of its plan to go public by merging with special purpose acquisition company 890 Fifth Avenue Partners, according to three people familiar with the situation. The Complex acquisition would increase BuzzFeed’s ...

BuzzFeed might have the size to outrun the downturn in SPACs, but we'll see how the markets play out. Inflation fears in the US may make markets more risk averse.

Bustle Digital Group formally rebrands as BDG ahead of anticipated IPO - Axios — www.axios.com

The new logo and name will roll out Tuesday.

Seeing as Bustle Digital Group has become more of a holding company than a unitary brand linked to Bustle, this makes sense. One interesting bit of news in this article is that Bustle plans to double down on ads rather than go the premium, reader-revenue route, which makes sense for the verticals that it operates in. And to support that strategy, they are looking to bring more ad-tech in-house.