3 AI Prompts I Used in Claude Cowork to Create 3 Apps That Analyze My Substack Exports for Real Growth...
The author demonstrates how to use Claude’s AI prompts to generate three single‑file HTML applications that analyze Substack CSV exports directly in the browser. The tools forecast subscriber growth, compute paid‑subscriber churn, tenure and lifetime value, and evaluate which posts drive conversions. By keeping the code deterministic and client‑side, creators retain full data sovereignty and can audit every formula. The approach replaces guesswork with measurable insights, enabling newsletter publishers to make data‑driven content decisions.
Battle on the Beach, Crashers, Love It or List It, Extreme Buyers Club: HGTV Announces New and Returning Shows
HGTV unveiled a robust fall‑and‑summer slate, mixing returning hits with fresh concepts. "Battle on the Beach" returns June 1, giving teams $100,000 and a chance at a $50,000 prize, while the revamped "Crashers" launches June 8 with 72‑hour surprise makeovers. Long‑standing series...
The Lexington Observer’s Unusual Revenue Stream: Acting as a Conduit for Other News Outlets
The Lexington Observer, a hyperlocal nonprofit launched in 2021, has turned its fundraising arm into a national revenue engine. Between 2023 and 2024 its expenses jumped from $640,000 to nearly $5 million, most of which is paid out as fees to...
PopInfo Weekly: Slop, Scams, and Subpoenas
A Popular Information probe uncovered that Advance Local’s award‑winning newspaper network has published more than 17,000 online pieces that act as covert advertisements for sports‑books, online casinos and prediction markets since 2022. Meanwhile, the Pentagon comptroller’s $29 billion estimate for the Iran...
RTL and AMC Enter Negotiations for UEFA’s Men Club Competitions in Hungary
UEFA’s commercial arm UC3 has opened exclusive negotiation periods for all three men’s club competitions in Hungary. RTL will retain Champions League rights for the 2027‑31 cycle, extending its 2024‑27 hold on 192 matches across linear TV and the RTL+...
Newspaper Finder
Newspaper Finder is a free, web‑based index that pulls together digitized newspaper collections from more than 30 partner sites, letting users search across them in a single interface. The service does not host any newspaper content; instead it redirects visitors...
Publishers Are Sitting on Valuable Audience Data — Many Just Aren’t Using It Well
Publishers have amassed massive first‑party audience data but keep it siloed across email, paywall, CDP and analytics tools, inflating costs and limiting insight. Omeda CEO James Capo argues that this fragmentation prevents unified reader profiles, hindering personalization, churn reduction, and...
Alexa+ Comes to Fire TVs in the UK, Canada, Mexico, Italy, Germany, and Spain
Amazon announced that Alexa+, its AI‑powered voice assistant, is now available on Fire TV devices in the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Italy, Germany and Spain. The service lets users ask natural‑language questions about Prime Video content, retrieve scene details, and...
Reuters Sees ‘Very, Very Strong’ Paid Subscriber Sign-Ups Amid Iran War
Reuters reports "very, very strong" paid subscriber growth since the U.S. strikes on Iran, driven by its low‑price digital subscription ($4 a month or $45 a year). The paywall, launched in the U.S. in October 2024, now operates in 58...
One Week From Today! Register Now for Our What Works Webinar on ‘Audience, AI and Events’
Media consultancy What Works is hosting a free, all‑day webinar on Thursday, May 21, titled “Audience, AI and Events.” The virtual event targets local news publishers, journalists and volunteers, offering hands‑on workshops to sharpen audience‑development, artificial‑intelligence, and event‑management skills. Attendees can...
Kelsey Plum Joins WNBA on Prime as Player Contributor
Prime Video announced that Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum will serve as a player contributor for WNBA on Prime throughout the 2026 season. Plum will appear on the pre‑game, halftime, and post‑game studio shows, offering on‑court insight alongside Allie...
Condé Nast Loses 33 Editorial Staff in 5 Months, Glamour's Near-Centennial Legacy Is on Life Support After Latest Round of...
Condé Nast announced 16 additional layoffs across Glamour, SELF and its entertainment unit, raising total union‑member cuts to 33 in five months. The company simultaneously sold assets, merged Teen Vogue into a single operation and shut down SELF entirely. The cuts hit...
Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer to End with Season 5
Netflix announced that the legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer will conclude with a fifth season, ending its run after four previous installments. The series stars Manuel Garcia‑Rulfo as defense attorney Mickey Haller and adapts Michael Connelly’s bestselling novels. Created by...
Day 21: The Low-Lift Written Event That Added 500+ Subscribers in a Week
Erin Kelly of MemberVault grew her email list by over 500 subscribers in a single week using a low‑effort, five‑day written content library. The event featured daily emails with 60%+ open rates, a gamified community, and an intake form that...
How to Go on a Podcast with Pamela Paul
Courtney Maum recounts a tense appearance on the New York Times Book Review podcast hosted by Pamela Paul, where the interview fixated on the elusive "million‑dollar book deal" despite her modest $7,000 advance. The experience highlighted a mismatch between the...
MarketBeat Slashed Millions of Emails, Dropped Prices and Revenue’s Rising
MarketBeat has dramatically trimmed its email list from a peak of 6.2 million to 3.6 million, prioritizing engaged readers as inbox providers tighten standards. The company cut its annual subscription fee to $249 from $399 amid stagnant premium subscriber numbers and growing...
As Advertisers Chase Outcomes, Smart TV OEMs Gain Ground
Smart TV OEMs are rapidly becoming a key channel for advertisers as outcomes drive media buying. iSpot's 2026 survey shows 45.5% of marketers prioritize business outcomes, and ad spend through OEMs rose from 25% in 2025 to 55% in 2026....
Ireland Investigates Meta for Breaching the DSA – a Year on From Our Complaint
Ireland’s Digital Services Coordinator, Coimisiún na Meán (CnaM), announced a formal investigation into Meta’s use of potentially deceptive "dark pattern" interfaces that limit users’ ability to select non‑profiling recommender feeds. The probe follows a joint complaint filed in April 2025 by...
Saturday TV Ratings 5/9/26: Saturday Night Live Ratings to Come, NBA Playoffs Dominate, All’s Fair in Love & Mahjong Solid...
Saturday night television was dominated by sports, with the NBA playoffs delivering the highest primetime rating of the week. The Thunder‑Lakers matchup on ABC earned a 1.69 rating and 5.86 million viewers, outpacing the NBA tip‑off and all network comedies. NBC’s...
How Video Game High School Turned YouTube Into A Movie Studio
Freddie Wong’s *Video Game High School* (VGHS) proved YouTube could produce cinematic, serialized storytelling with modest budgets. Leveraging the DSLR revolution and accessible editing software, the series delivered high‑production‑value action that rivaled traditional media. Its success helped legitimize creator‑owned studios...
This Media Startup Is Trying to Reach Readers Exhausted by Political Noise
Straight Arrow News, founded by Joe Ricketts and Jonathan Harding, is repositioning itself as a politically unbiased digital news outlet. Chief content officer Derek Mead is steering the company away from high‑volume SEO aggregation toward original reporting, regional storytelling, and...
Alec Baldwin, Betty Gilpin and David Costabile Join Oscar Isaac Netflix Drama / Queen Latifah Joins The Voice / Jimmy...
Netflix announced its new Las Vegas‑set drama "The Roman," starring Oscar Isaac alongside Alec Baldwin, Betty Gilpin and David Costabile, signaling a high‑profile push into casino‑world storytelling. ABC reshuffled its 2026 fall lineup, moving the hit crime series "High Potential"...
Italian Transposition of Press Publishers’ Right May Be Compatible with EU Law, Though with Caveats, Says Grand Chamber
The EU Court of Justice’s Grand Chamber ruled that Italy’s implementation of the press publishers’ right under Article 15 of the DSM Directive can be compatible with EU law, provided the rights remain preventive and apply only where information‑society service providers...
Is AI the Biggest Threat to Social Platforms?
The article argues that generative AI is emerging as the biggest threat to social platforms, as users increasingly turn to AI for entertainment and companionship instead of human interaction. Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Meta, and Snapchat are shifting toward...
Adi Shankar Breaks Down ‘Devil May Cry’ Season 2, Vergil’s Arrival, and Future Story Arcs
Netflix’s ‘Devil May Cry’ season 2, produced by Adi Shankar, deepens the series with a heavier nu‑metal soundtrack and the introduction of Vergil as a silent counterpoint to Dante. Shankar swapped Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” for Korn’s “Freak on a...
What Generational News Habits Mean for Audience Growth
The Media Insight Project report shows stark generational splits in how Americans consume news. Teens lean heavily on social media and independent creators, with 57% getting news from creators and 81% of teens doing so daily. Adults 65+ favor television,...
The OS Wars Are A Defining Test Of OEM Power
The article argues that the smart‑TV operating‑system battle is reshaping television economics, as OEMs move from thin‑margin hardware sales to advertising‑driven revenue models. Control of the home screen, content discovery and ad inventory now determines who captures the value created...
ABC Announces Fall 2026 Primetime Schedule
ABC announced its fall 2026 primetime lineup, marking the first full‑season renewal of its entire scripted slate. The network leads Nielsen’s cross‑platform ratings, holding four of the Top 5 Adults 18‑49 shows and ten of the Top 20 overall. A new midseason drama, “The...
How to Make It Big on Substack in 2026: The Creator’s Guide to Growth
Substack has transformed from a newsletter service into a multi‑format creator ecosystem, now boasting five million paid subscriptions and ranking among the top five news apps. New features include video monetization, livestreaming, and a micro‑blogging feed called Notes, intensifying competition...
Fox Sports Conjures a Winning World Cup Game
Fox Sports has partnered with the agency Special US to launch a high‑profile advertising campaign ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The spot features a roster of American and global sports icons—including Tom Brady, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, former U.S. coach Bruce Arena and hockey...
Video: "Every Year After" Leaves the Light On for the Love Story of the Summer in Newly Released Trailer
Prime Video released the trailer for "Every Year After," an Amazon Original series debuting June 10 with eight episodes and streaming in over 240 countries. The show adapts Carley Fortune’s bestselling novel, which spent 16 weeks on the New York Times list and...
MIT to Close Long-Running Business Journal
MIT Sloan Management Review will cease publication after a 67‑year run, with its final issue slated for September 2026. The decision stems from a strategic realignment of the school’s communications team and changing audience habits toward digital formats. MIT Sloan...
The Comeback‘s Series Finale Seemed Torn Between Competing Priorities / Sex Workers Are Upset with Euphoria's OnlyFans Portrayal / Wordle...
The HBO comedy "The Comeback" returned for a third season and wrapped with a finale that attempted to balance sharp industry satire with a heartfelt character send‑off. Lisa Kudrow’s portrayal of aging star Mary Lazarus was praised, but critics noted the...
How a Colorado Springs Food Critic Built a Sustainable One-Man Media Business
When the Colorado Springs Independent folded in 2023, food critic Matthew Schniper turned the loss into a solo venture, launching the Substack newsletter Side Dish with Schniper. By focusing on a small pool of annual sponsors rather than mass advertising,...
The Subscription Strategy Behind One of Britain’s Fastest-Growing Local News Startups
Mill Media launched Manchester Mill in 2020 with a subscription model that charges readers for a handful of high‑quality, long‑form local stories. By offering data‑driven COVID briefings and deep investigative pieces, the newsletter attracted 4,000 email subscribers in four months and...
Jury Duty Renewed for Season 3
Amazon Prime Video has ordered a third season of its reality‑hoax sitcom "Jury Duty," following a successful second season that blended unscripted courtroom drama with scripted comedy. The show, which masquerades as a real corporate jury trial, attracted a sizable...
USA Network Debuts New Free-Throw Graphic for WNBA Broadcasts
USA Network introduced a new free‑throw graphic for its WNBA broadcasts, embedding miniature orange‑and‑white ball icons into the scorebug. The icons light up when a player makes a shot, turning from gray to the league’s signature orange. The feature, highlighted...
A Lesson in Audiobooks
Jeff’s Substack post promotes a live Zoom session on May 12, 2026, where he, audiobook pioneer Cory Verner, and business model expert Jared Kuritz will dissect the current state of the audiobook market. The 45‑minute presentation, followed by a 15‑minute Q&A, will...
Doc Emrick Recalls Barry Melrose as ‘Least Predictable’ Broadcast Partner
Doc Emrick appeared on the Awful Announcing podcast and described Barry Melrose as the least predictable broadcast partner of his 50‑year career. He recalled Melrose’s off‑the‑cuff humor, lore‑laden anecdotes, and coaching insights during ABC’s NHL coverage in the late 1990s....
Bomani Jones: Criticism of ‘First Take’ Often Becomes Criticism of Its Audience
Bomani Jones defended ESPN's *First Take* after Skip Bayless returned, arguing that criticism of the show often morphs into criticism of its largely Black daytime audience. He noted that while the program draws ire for its confrontational style, it remains...
Disney Orders “The Rookie: North” To A Series
Disney announced that its spinoff “The Rookie: North” has been picked up for a full ten‑episode season ahead of its Upfront event. The series follows Alex Holland, a mid‑life rookie police officer in the Pacific Northwest, and stars Jay Ellis...
“Last Train To North America” Coming Soon To ESPN
Disney announced ESPN’s new nine‑episode documentary “Last Train to North America,” premiering May 12, 2026. Hosted by veteran journalist Martin Ainstein, the series follows a rail journey through the United States, Mexico and Canada as the three nations gear up...
Arena Group Revenue Plummets as Traffic Declines
The Arena Group posted a steep Q1 revenue decline, dropping 37% to $20 million as traffic fell. Digital advertising revenue nearly halved to $11.3 million, while print ad sales modestly rose 26% to $260 k. Gross margin contracted to 34.8% and adjusted EBITDA...
You Don’t Know Where Anything Comes From
A recent New York Times investigation reveals that the U.S. Mint has been buying gold sourced from Colombian drug cartels, despite legal requirements to purchase only domestically mined metal. The scheme exploits licensed cartel miners, middlemen, and U.S. refineries that fail to...
TikTok’s Business Strategy: THEFT
TikTok is reportedly deploying AI‑driven bot accounts that scrape and repurpose creator videos without attribution, while the platform’s creator rewards program has been sharply reduced. The shift coincides with Oracle CEO Larry Ellison gaining a controlling stake in TikTok USA...
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test: Season Four Ratings
Fox’s reality series *Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test* returned for a fourth season featuring 18 celebrities, many paired as spouses or family members, undergoing grueling military‑style training in Morocco. The show’s Nielsen ratings have slipped compared with season three, which...
FOX, NBC, Get Two of Ex-ESPN Games at Center of NFL Media Rights Talks
The NFL is adding four national broadcast windows this season by moving games previously earmarked for ESPN and its streaming partner to FOX and NBC. FOX will air a Week 10 International Series game from Munich as part of a rare...
Next Level Baker: Season One Ratings
Fox launched the holiday‑season spin‑off *Next Level Baker* with Gordon Ramsay, Carla Hall and Candace Nelson as judges. Twelve bakers compete for a $25,000 cash prize and a HexClad kitchen package. Nielsen’s live‑plus‑same‑day ratings, now posted in a public spreadsheet,...
Name That Tune: Season Five Ratings
Fox renewed Name That Tune for a fifth season in 2024, betting on a celebrity‑driven format that pits well‑known personalities against each other for charity. The hour‑long episodes combine classic musical games with the high‑stakes Bid‑a‑Note and Golden Medley rounds,...
On Brand with Jimmy Fallon: Season One Ratings
NBC’s new marketing‑competition series *On Brand with Jimmy Fallon* debuted its first season in early 2024, pairing the comedian‑host with former Uber and Pepsi CMO Bozoma Saint John to mentor ten creative teams. Each episode pits the teams against a major brand,...