Substack, the New “Home” for Cultural Journalism
Abstract
1. Introduction
“We created Substack because we believe that what you read matters and that good writing is valuable. As the platform evolved, we expanded that vision to include all forms of cultural work. On Substack, writers and creators can publish their work and earn money through paid subscriptions, while readers can directly support the work they deeply value.”
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Hypothesis
2.2. Research Objectives
- To analyze the most-followed cultural content published on Substack in Spanish, with the aim of understanding the writing styles employed by its authors.
- To analyze, through in-depth interviews, the intentions of the journalists involved.
- To provide an overview of how the ecosystem of a platform like Substack may be transforming the practice of cultural journalism in Spain through micro-influencers who operate outside of mainstream social media.
2.3. Justification
- Blog nostalgia: More than a decade ago, blogs began to decline (Pedroni et al., 2017; Driscoll, 2019). With the rise of Substack, bloggers found a new space for revitalization. They also encountered a nostalgic audience—primarily people in their forties who recall the early days of the internet, blogs, and newsletters—alongside a new generation seeking refuge from the immediacy and “noise” of social media, in favor of longer-form, reflective reading experiences.
- Free-noisy space: Substack functions as an alternative to the virality and negativity often associated with social media. It has become a valuable platform for niche journalists, many of whom emerged or redefined their paths during the pandemic. For example, food writer Mike Nagrant chose not to return to traditional media after discovering Substack, stating that the platform “gave him the kind of influence that is no longer available in most newspapers” (Valentino, 2025).
- Community strength: Similarly to the blogging era, newsletters on Substack thrive on the strength of the online communities formed around them. These communities foster close, ongoing relationships between writers and readers (Foasberg, 2012). However, Substack may not represent a true alternative media space, as it tends to reproduce existing journalistic hierarchies (Hewa & Cohen, 2024). The platform’s most successful newsletters are still authored by white, established journalists, and algorithmic recommendations increasingly shape subscription behaviors (Fernandes et al., 2024; Milovanska-Farrington, 2025).
- Subscriptions as support: Monetization through paid subscriptions has emerged as a new business model for journalists (Martin, 2024), particularly among younger generations, but also increasingly among senior writers (Aaronovitch, 2024). Monetization serves not only as a revenue model for writers but also as a meaningful way for readers to express commitment to independent voices and to participate in the sustainability of content creation.
- Creative freedom: Substack is widely seen as a platform that supports unfiltered, personal expression. However, this openness has also led to controversy. In 2024, the presence of neo-Nazi content on the platform drew public criticism, with journalists like Brustein (2024) questioning Substack’s profit model, since the company takes a percentage of subscription revenue, even from extremist content. In response to Substack’s refusal to revise its moderation policies, prominent writers such as Ryan Broderick (Garbage Day) and Casey Newton (Platformer) left the platform.
- Authorized voice: Blogs and newsletters have long played a significant role in the publication, promotion, and distribution of books (Steiner, 2010). The intimate connection between authors and their audiences has led some scholars to argue that this format is reshaping writing itself (Bossio et al., 2024). Posts published on Substack have appeared in cultural anthologies such as Best Food Writing (2023, 2024) and Escribir gastronomía 2022 (Casanova & Aguirre, 2023). In several cases, authors have expanded Substack content into full-length books (Terrés, 2025b; Kennedy, 2023).
2.4. Methodological Design and Analytical Approach
2.5. Ethical Considerations
2.6. Limitations of This Study and Researchers’ Reflexivity
3. Results
3.1. Keep the Community
3.2. Personal Writing First!
- “I subscribed when he started writing so openly about emotional and mental health issues. That wasn’t common at the time—especially for a ‘successful’ man to show vulnerability. That’s what made him connect with people. We’ve all read something of his and thought, I’ve been there.” (2025)
3.3. A Different Approach to Writing
“Since March 2020, Jesús Terrés has sent an intimate letter every Saturday to over thirty-five thousand readers… This shared intimacy has become the most widely read literary newsletter in Spanish.”
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions and Future Research
- the material convergence between newsletters and book publishing;
- the narrative impact of emotional, first-person storytelling on cultural journalism;
- the potential of shared or bundled subscription models for reader-supported media.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
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Author | Newsletter | Style | Free Content | Paid Content | Paid Susbscription | Total Subscribers | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jesús Terrés | Nada Importa | Narrative | Life | Tips, chats, podcast | +100 | +35 mil |
2 | Leticia Sala | Magical thinking | Narrative | Life | Life | +100 | 7 mil |
3 | Molinos | Cosas que (me) pasan | Narrative/Informative | Life, books | Life, books, pod-cast | 100 | 5 mil |
4 | Máximo Gavete | Honos | Opinion/Informative | Design | Spon-sor | −100 | 6 mil |
5 | Esteban Concia | Comunicación | Opinion | Digital culture | Tips | −100 | 6 mil |
6 | Romina Sacre | Por tu atención, gracias | Narrative | Life | Tips | −100 | 5 mil |
7 | Carolina Chavate | Elogio a la cotidianidad | Narrative | Life | Tips | −100 | 4 mil |
8 | Iván Leal | Superfluor | Informative | Curiosities | Tips | −100 | 4 mil |
9 | Gabi Chestrada | Lo que sea que inspire | Narrative | Life | Tips | −100 | 3 mil |
10 | Jorge Guitián | Carreteras secundarias | Narrative | Life, food, books, music | Tips | −100 | 3 mil |
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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Acosta Meneses, M.Y.; Gómez-Escalonilla, G. Substack, the New “Home” for Cultural Journalism. Journal. Media 2025, 6, 128. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia6030128
Acosta Meneses MY, Gómez-Escalonilla G. Substack, the New “Home” for Cultural Journalism. Journalism and Media. 2025; 6(3):128. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia6030128
Chicago/Turabian StyleAcosta Meneses, María Yanet, and Gloria Gómez-Escalonilla. 2025. "Substack, the New “Home” for Cultural Journalism" Journalism and Media 6, no. 3: 128. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia6030128
APA StyleAcosta Meneses, M. Y., & Gómez-Escalonilla, G. (2025). Substack, the New “Home” for Cultural Journalism. Journalism and Media, 6(3), 128. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia6030128