The hottest Media Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

She’s a preschooler and a rap star

The Charlotte Ledger • 98 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. year-old viral rapping sensation Savannah 'VanVan' McConneaughey went from freestyling on the playground to performing on big stages with her original songs.
  2. Savannah's parents nurtured her talent from a young age, posting her singing videos on social media, leading to viral success on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
  3. Savannah's music journey includes brand deals, magazine features, performances at prestigious venues, and upcoming plans for an album, all while maintaining her love for performing and connecting with her audience.

Why newsletter signups should always be your north star

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 723 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
💼 Business Media
  1. Focus on growing newsletter signups as a key metric for success, as platforms can impact content creators' reach and livelihood unpredictably.
  2. Media entrepreneurs should be cautious of relying solely on tech platforms for distribution, as policies and algorithms can mistakenly impact their work.
  3. Entrepreneurs in media should consider covering niche news sites, video channels, podcasts, newsletters, and affiliate/ecommerce to succeed independently.

Seattle, We Have a Problem

The Cholent • 98 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media
  1. BLM at School in Seattle has embraced anti-Israel ideology, causing concern among parents.
  2. King County Bar Association published an article equating pro-Palestinian stance with terrorism, sparking controversy.
  3. Real Change newspaper rejected a Jewish Rabbi's column about anti-Semitism, showcasing a trend of lack of openness in progressive spaces.

How Stupid Do They Think We Are?

startupdreams • 317 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media
  1. There are reports of drones flying over New Jersey, and Congress is concerned, but no one knows what they are. It seems surprising that such mysterious drones could evade radar and air defenses.
  2. A Congressman claimed that these drones might be launched from an Iranian 'mothership,' which seems hard to believe. It raises questions about the technology and motives behind this claim.
  3. Many people feel skeptical and frustrated by the government's explanations, suggesting this situation resembles previous misleading claims that led to unnecessary conflicts.

Based Safety vs. Cringe Propaganda #58

Safety Propaganda • 98 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. Based Safety emphasizes embracing freedom and critical thinking, rather than consuming rage-inducing clickbait.
  2. Based Safety highlights artistic works that challenge norms, like the Baker Skateboards video and Jon Rafman's collaboration with Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign.
  3. Cringe Propaganda critiques failures in popular culture, such as disappointing remakes like True Detective: Night Country and issues in industries like UFC and skateboarding.
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This Year's Best Bits: The Tipping Point?

What's Important? • 19 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. 2025 felt like a tipping point where mystical or “woo” ideas and new models of consciousness moved from fringe curiosity into mainstream acceptance.
  2. Popular podcasts, books, and articles this year mixed scientific research with personal accounts of nonordinary experiences, highlighting renewed interest in healing and expanded models of mind.
  3. Mainstream entertainment—TV, film, and music—increasingly explored themes like collective consciousness and disclosure, signaling these ideas are spreading into broader culture and institutions.

Mr. Beast is The Biggest Show on TV

Next in Media • 98 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
💼 Business Media
  1. Mr. Beast is a huge YouTube star, making millions and gaining massive views.
  2. Brands should start treating YouTube content creators like TV stars.
  3. There is a need for the advertising industry to catch up and invest in top creators for their media mix.

Eh 👁️

Situation Normal • 79 implied HN points • 10 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Media
  1. Cognitive dissonance is when you hold two conflicting beliefs at the same time. For example, you might enjoy a nice brunch while also believing the world is in trouble.
  2. When it comes to AI, people often have strong opinions on both sides. Some see it as a threat to writers, while others see it as a helpful tool that can save time.
  3. Voice cloning technology like ElevenLabs can create audio versions of stories, which can be both exciting and strange. It's interesting how technology can improve or change the way we create and consume content.

Falling Asleep with the TV On

Kneeling Bus • 264 implied HN points • 24 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. TV often has small moments that stick with us but might never be found again. These moments can shape our memories even if they seem unimportant.
  2. Norm Macdonald showed how viewers might not actually be watching shows, making their success numbers look inflated. This makes it hard to trust viewer ratings.
  3. Platforms like Netflix gain more from having lots of content rather than focusing on individual shows or movies. This means many films just get lost in the shuffle and are easy to forget.

Five Links for July 2025

Five Links (and three graphs) by Auren Hoffman • 105 implied HN points • 06 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. MrBeast is a huge success on YouTube and knows how to grab people's attention. His strategies show how the attention economy works.
  2. Barry Diller has had a long and impactful career in entertainment, making important decisions that shaped popular culture. His memoir shares lessons from his many successes and failures.
  3. Japan changed the way ships are built and became a leader in shipbuilding by using innovative techniques. This helped them produce ships more efficiently than others.

Reflections on Y2K and a Crappy Year on Substack

Textual Variations • 265 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. Y2K was a big deal back in 1999, with many people fearing that computers would fail and cause chaos. Thankfully, it turned out to be mostly nothing, and it was a weird moment in history.
  2. 2024 was a tough year for many, especially for writers trying to grow their audience on platforms like Substack. It can be hard when things don't go as planned.
  3. Albert Pyun, a low-budget filmmaker, has a director's cut of his 1990 'Captain America' movie that many fans are excited to see. It's a chance to understand his vision better.

Sports Media Literacy: The Eagles Are Clearly Sick of Jalen Hurts

House of Strauss • 28 implied HN points • 22 Nov 25
🎾 Sports Media
  1. Sports reporting can sometimes reveal uncomfortable truths that fans and players might not want to acknowledge. It's important to recognize when the media reports something that reflects reality, even if it’s not pleasant.
  2. People often react more strongly to what journalists say than to what is left unsaid. This can lead to denial about situations, as fans hold onto their own beliefs rather than accepting what's being reported.
  3. When teammates don’t openly support a player in a negative situation, it can subtly confirm the tensions that might exist within the team. Observing body language and reactions can tell you a lot about team dynamics.

Power trip: Gavin Newsom declares state of emergency over Bird Flu

The Dossier • 292 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media
  1. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California over Bird Flu. He is looking to strengthen monitoring and testing for it, even though there's been no significant risk to the public.
  2. The Bird Flu has not been shown to easily spread from birds to humans, which raises questions about the urgency of this emergency declaration.
  3. Some experts warn about potential human transmission due to untreated infections, but solid evidence for human-to-human spread is lacking.

Some Notes on Hate-Watching

Banana Peel Pirouette • 197 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. The practice of hate-watching involves watching shows or movies that are disliked, without enjoying them but still keeping up with the content.
  2. Hate-watching can stem from strong emotional responses like umbrage or aversion, leading viewers to engage with content they dislike on a sub-rational level.
  3. Hate-watching has evolved with modern media, offering a safe way for audiences to consume and critique content remotely, often leading to online discussions and shared sentiments.

Out Here On Our Own

Ladyparts • 439 implied HN points • 30 Nov 22
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. The erasure and vilification of talented older women in the media, especially when they speak out against corruption, is a recurring and troubling pattern.
  2. It's important to look beyond sensationalized headlines and incomplete obituaries to uncover the true stories of noteworthy individuals.
  3. Society often treats aging male artists more reverently and with more opportunities compared to aging female artists, highlighting a gender disparity in the industry.

What's in store for Oxford Street?

London in Bits • 196 implied HN points • 24 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. Westminster Council is planning changes to improve Oxford Street, including more green spaces and pedestrian crossings
  2. Empty stores on Oxford Street are being offered to innovative brands on a rent-free basis for six months
  3. The Met Police is implementing a two-year plan to increase trust, reduce crime, and improve policing standards, including using the Cambridge Crime Harm Index to target offenders

The A.I.-generated journalism abomination

What's Left • 196 implied HN points • 01 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Media
  1. AI-generated journalism can undermine the quality of information and journalism standards.
  2. Media companies using AI for content creation may prioritize profit over providing value to readers.
  3. AI can assist in research and writing, but should not replace human judgment and ethics in journalism.

Federal workers fired to improve efficiency - media outraged; Federal workers fired for not complying with an unethical vaccine mandate - media silent

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 221 implied HN points • 27 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media
  1. The media shows a double standard when covering different types of worker firings. They react strongly to layoffs for efficiency but often ignore firings for not taking vaccines.
  2. Vaccine mandates raised ethical concerns because they did not significantly protect others and forced individuals to lose their jobs. Many people who were fired have not been given a voice in media discussions.
  3. The way the media reports on firings affects public trust in vaccines. Layoffs from companies like Elon Musk's may feel random, but firings due to vaccine mandates can lead to specific anger and distrust.

Inside the Pro-Israel Information War

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 860 HN points • 08 Dec 23
🌍 World Politics Media
  1. There is a concerted effort to shape online discourse and silence pro-Palestinian voices by pro-Israel forces in Silicon Valley.
  2. Pro-Israel groups are heavily involved in shaping media coverage and advocating for Israel in the public discourse.
  3. Efforts to suppress pro-Palestinian speech, influence media outlets, and lobby lawmakers are prominent in the pro-Israel information war.

Batshit Crazy

The Cosmopolitan Globalist • 10 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media
  1. The political situation in the United States is deeply alarming and feels insane.
  2. One commentator, Steve Schmidt, is singled out as actually understanding and plainly explaining how serious this is amid many noisy pundits.
  3. This isn’t a time for irony — it’s an urgent call to mobilize and do everything possible to stop the danger before it’s too late.

For the Love of War and the Fear of Death

Humanities in Revolt • 219 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media
  1. The American public's support for the Iraq War was influenced by fear, false beliefs, and failures in critical thinking.
  2. Journalists in the mainstream media played a role in amplifying unsubstantiated claims about the war and failed to question authority.
  3. Fear-based appeals and manipulative tactics, like circular reasoning, were used to justify the Iraq War.

7 Thoughts About Substack's $100M Series C

Alex's Personal Blog • 98 implied HN points • 17 Jul 25
💼 Business Media
  1. Substack has shown resilience by not giving up when venture funds didn't favor it. They managed to cut costs and eventually raised more funds, which helped them grow.
  2. The new valuation of Substack indicates high expectations for growth. However, they might struggle to maintain such growth without additional support beyond just subscription increases.
  3. Substack's move into advertising could help them grow revenue but might also change the overall user experience. It’s a balance between making money and keeping the platform enjoyable for users.

The Rise of the Theater Kids

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 310 implied HN points • 29 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. The success of the movie 'Wicked' shows that theater kids are becoming really popular in pop culture. Their high energy and performances are winning everyone's attention.
  2. With a huge budget and lots of marketing, 'Wicked' is shaping into a big cultural event, drawing people into the world of musical theater.
  3. The film's success at the box office proves that theater adaptations can be very profitable, marking a win for theater kids everywhere.

The Self-Important Feeling: Stephen Colbert and the Comedian's Dilemma

House of Strauss • 93 implied HN points • 22 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. Comedians can get caught up in the feeling that their words matter a lot, which can change how they view their role. It's important for entertainers to remember to be funny, not just political.
  2. Johnny Carson warned that when entertainers start taking themselves too seriously, it can lead to a misguided sense of importance and sway over their audience. This could be more harmful than good.
  3. Stephen Colbert once had a major cultural impact, but it raises the question of whether he has chased that feeling of importance too much, possibly losing sight of his original comedic role.

T.V. News: Pledges, Hiatus, Wong Kar Wai Revisions

Textual Variations • 231 implied HN points • 04 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. The author plans to take a break from publication to catch up on other priorities, which might cause gaps in the schedule this Spring. They hope to return to a regular posting schedule by May.
  2. Wong Kar Wai's classic film 'In the Mood for Love' is being reissued in China with new footage, and there are discussions about changes that may come with this release.
  3. The new animated series 'Invincible Fight Girl' is praised for its authentic anime style and storytelling, blending action with comedic elements in a unique way.

How to fix Newsnight

Odds and Ends of History • 737 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. Newsnight has faced a decline in viewers and budget cuts over the years.
  2. The show is undergoing changes with a reduced runtime and shift towards interviews and debates.
  3. Suggestions are made on how to improve Newsnight's situation and avoid irrelevance.

The Plays About the End of the World

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 222 implied HN points • 12 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. New plays about AI are popping up everywhere, showing how people respond to new technologies. They don't predict an apocalypse, but they reveal our emotions and reactions.
  2. Theater might seem like a strange place to talk about complicated tech ideas. But these plays manage to make tough topics more relatable and human.
  3. Rather than traditional, boring themes, these plays bring fresh perspectives on current issues with technology that are important to us today. They offer entertaining yet thoughtful reflections on our future.

Merry Jewish Christmas!

The Cosmopolitan Globalist • 13 implied HN points • 25 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. Jewish Christmas is a casual tradition of eating Chinese food, watching a movie, and doing some good-natured kvetching with friends or family. The typical menu includes spring rolls, wonton soup, fried rice or lo mein, General Tso’s (or tofu), and fortune cookies.
  2. The page is kept live all day with amusements to distract from family drama—games, an Ask Me Anything, and a reader-contributed Festivus where people can add their own bits of fun. The intent is lighthearted diversion rather than sharing bad news.
  3. There are strong language pet peeves: don’t use “gifted” as the past tense of “give,” and journalists shouldn’t start claims with “it feels like.” Instead, make clear, specific claims or admit you have none.

Intermissions

Austin Kleon • 1179 implied HN points • 16 Nov 21
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. It's fun to watch movies in parts instead of all at once. Taking breaks can make the experience more enjoyable.
  2. You can create a zine, which is a small magazine, to share your thoughts or ideas easily. It's a fun way to express yourself.
  3. Watching old movies in black and white can give them a new twist. It can feel like you're seeing the film for the first time again.

Would I do it tomorrow?

Austin Kleon • 859 implied HN points • 29 Apr 22
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. Independent Bookstore Day is a great occasion to support local bookstores. It's also a chance to enjoy special events and new releases.
  2. A good question to ask before accepting invitations is, 'Would I do it tomorrow?' It helps you decide if the opportunity is worth your time.
  3. Exploring creative work and art discussions, like the new film about Brian Eno, can inspire and deepen your understanding of art and its impact.

the haunting image of a "best newsboy" kid's costume from Target

Both Are True • 96 implied HN points • 07 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. The image of the 'best newsboy' costume makes the viewer feel uneasy, especially because the boy appears small and distant. It raises questions about connection and authenticity.
  2. There's something awkward about the costume itself, making it feel unnatural and silly for a child to wear at a party. This prompts thoughts on how we define roles in society.
  3. Additionally, the lack of product reviews and availability adds to the overall strangeness. It leads to doubts about the costume's reality and the child's authenticity.

The templatised monetisation of "prep" years

system bashing • 98 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. Many youth spend their prime years preparing for exams, often with disappointing outcomes.
  2. Media companies commercialize this exam prep nostalgia into profitable TV series.
  3. Some countries, like Singapore, have reformed their administrative service hiring processes for better results.

sunday memepool

bad cattitude • 90 implied HN points • 13 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Media
  1. Chasing dreams can be tough, but it's important to keep fighting for what you want. Persistence is key to achieving your goals.
  2. Life often teaches us hard truths about ourselves and the people around us. These realizations can lead to personal growth.
  3. Sharing experiences, like memes or stories, can help connect with others and lighten the mood. Humor can be a great way to cope with challenges.

above the law

bad cattitude • 287 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media
  1. Big government can lead to corruption and a lack of morality. When government grows, it often becomes less accountable and more corrupt.
  2. A recent pardon by the president for his son raises concerns about accountability. It seems to protect powerful figures from facing the consequences of their actions.
  3. To create a better government, people need to reclaim power from the current system. A smaller, more accountable government could lead to a more moral society.

An Epistemic Crisis?

In My Tribe • 1032 implied HN points • 02 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media
  1. In an epistemic crisis, it's crucial to be cautious of who you trust for information.
  2. Elite individuals and institutions sometimes spread lies, causing difficulty in discerning the truth.
  3. Encouraging skepticism and demanding transparency from all sources of news and opinion is essential.