Introduction: Substack’s Promised World
When Substack burst onto the digital scene, it was pitched as a home for longform writing and independent journalism. Writers could escape traditional gatekeepers, publish directly to readers, and monetize through subscriptions. The model felt almost revolutionary: a straightforward toolset, minimal friction, and a clear value proposition for readers who chased in-depth reporting, thoughtful essays, and niche investigations.
The Shift: From a Quiet Platform to a Media Hub
In recent years, Substack has evolved well beyond a simple newsletter service. The company has expanded into podcasts, video, creator monetization, and product features aimed at broader audience engagement. It launched Substack TV for Apple TV and Google TV, aiming to be more than a newsletter platform—dramatically broadening its scope. This pivot has raised questions among writers who joined Substack for its core promise: independence and longform depth, not distribution into a media ecosystem.
Pros and Cons of the Expansion
On the pro side, the expansion aimed to help creators diversify revenue streams and reach audiences where they spend time: on screens beyond email. Substack’s tools for subscriptions, memberships, and cross-platform publishing can be powerful for creators who want to operate like independent publishers. It also attracted a wider creator base, including audio and video creators who may struggle to monetize on traditional platforms.
On the con side, some longform writers worry about dilution. When a platform pursues broader entertainment goals, editorial standards, discovery mechanisms, and user experience can become secondary to engagement metrics and growth targets. Critics argue that this push toward TV apps and video content risks compromising the very ethos that drew many to Substack in the first place: thoughtful, uninterrupted reading, and a direct line to readers.
What Writers Are Saying: Audience, Revenue, and Autonomy
For many journalists, essayists, and subject-m matter experts, Substack promised autonomy: control over pricing, direct relationships with readers, and a simple revenue share. The reality is more nuanced. As Substack grows, the platform’s decisions—such as algorithmic promotion, discovery engines, or changes to creator tools—can have outsized effects on smaller newsletters that rely on discoverability and a stable reader base.
Revenue models have also evolved. While memberships and paid newsletters remain central, creators now juggle multiple formats and platforms to monetize. Substack’s TV feature and video monetization may offer new opportunities, but they also add layers of complexity for writers who prefer a clean, text-focused workflow.
Is Substack Losing Its Original Identity?
The core question is identity. Substack began with a simple premise: empower writers to publish long, thoughtful pieces and earn directly from readers. The recent push into TV apps and broader media formats can be seen as an evolution, but it also risks eroding the brand’s core promise for those who value deep, longform reading over entertainment-centric content. For some, the platform’s expansion demonstrates resilience and adaptability; for others, it signals mission drift.
What This Means for Readers and Writers
Readers now have more options and formats within a single ecosystem, which can be convenient. However, as discovery becomes entangled with video-first strategies, it may become harder for high-quality newsletters to stand out purely on merit. For writers, the key is sustaining the things that drew audiences in the first place: transparency, reliability, and a direct relationship with readers.
The Path Forward: Balancing Growth with Core Values
Substack can still be a home for longform writing if it preserves certain guardrails: creator control over pricing, transparent monetization options, and a reading experience that prioritizes depth over distraction. The platform could emphasize strong editorial tools for newsletter discovery, maintain a clean reading interface, and ensure that ancillary formats (podcasts, video) support rather than overshadow the written work.
Conclusion: The Question Remains
Substack’s evolution reflects a broader tension in the digital media landscape: growth often requires diversification, but the original value proposition—independence and longform writing—remains a powerful draw. Whether Substack can reconcile expansion with its founding promise may determine whether it remains the home for true longform writing or becomes simply another multi-format platform with mixed loyalties.
