Substack comes of age

Why the possible sale of Bari Weiss's Free Press to CBS is a triumph for her and Substack - and why I plan to keep Unreported Truths proudly independent

Last night, the news broke that Paramount Skydance — which owns CBS — is on the verge of buying the Free Press for up to $200 million.

As you may know, Bari Weiss started the Free Press on Substack after quitting the New York Times in 2020. Since then, she has turned it into a full-fledged news outlet. Some of my favorite writers, including Bethany McLean and Abigail Shrier, contribute to it; it looks and feels like a “real” media Website.

Now Bari is cashing in on her success.

I can’t blame her. The news business is fickle, and Substack is more competitive than ever. If the reports are accurate, Bari’s reaping a massive payday — and a top job at CBS. This sale validates not just the Free Press but the power and importance of Substack and the independent/contrarian media ecosystem it supports.

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(Standing independent and alone. But not really alone. I have you.)

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So I’m happy for Bari. But I can’t help but feel somewhat sad she decided to rejoin the mainstream/legacy media.

In 2021 and 2022, I saw the same opportunity as Bari — the chance to build a bigger news organization. But in the end I didn’t take it. In part that’s because I’m more a writer than a manager. In part it’s because I was focused on fighting Twitter and the mRNAs, and I didn’t want anything to get in the way of that work.

Organizations bring power, but they also come with responsibility, and I wanted to be responsible only to the readers of Unreported Truths. I wanted to be able to write for you and you alone. And I have, almost 1,500 times.

Reporters are either insiders or outsiders. They either want to be close to power or they can’t help making trouble. I am very much in the latter camp — sometimes to my own detriment.

And I’m glad I stayed there. We need news sources that do not depend on advertiser or corporate support. We need reporters unafraid to take on governments and companies without fear or favor. We need truly independent outlets.

I’d like to believe Unreported Truths is one of those, in spirit and in fact. This isn’t an organization. It’s my own work. I’m proud of it, and I’m thankful you give me the chance to do it. Over and over, when I’ve asked you, what do you think I should write about, you say, follow your instincts, we trust you.

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(And here’s your chance to do so. For pennies a day.)

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I try not to exaggerate. I hope you will believe me when I say that answer puts a lump in my throat - and makes me want to work harder than ever for you, and the truth.

Onward.