The Scoop
A prominent platform for creators and podcasters has wooed one of the original unpaywalled digital media brands.
On Monday, Vox is launching its membership program on Patreon, aiming to capture primarily podcast and video consumers. Executives from the media company told Semafor that Vox’s Patreon supporters will have access to ad-free content and exclusive videos, including two new exclusive series: The Docket, a human impact series focused on Supreme Court decisions, and What’s Working, a “solutions-focused series that highlights policies improving the lives of communities across the country.”
The company said it hopes to supplement its flagship franchises like the podcast Today, Explained, with live newsroom conversations and community features such as chats.
“We think all of the tools that Patreon has to foster community are huge,” Swati Sharma, Vox’s editor-in-chief, told Semafor.
“With fans on Patreon already deeply engaged in podcasts and video — two of our highest-earning categories — Vox’s membership feels like a natural extension of the vibrant community of journalists and storytellers who have been building their audiences on Patreon for years,” Leticia Hirabayashi, senior director of creator acquisition at Patreon, said.
Max’s view
Vox’s move to Patreon marks an interesting moment for both companies. For Vox, it’s a bet that Patreon’s tools and community are worth letting Patreon take its cut of subscription revenue. For Patreon, it’s a signal to other media players that its service is not just for one-off creators, and that it can support a larger company with more sophisticated editorial and payment needs.
It also marks the latest chapter in an escalating and increasingly public battle between two rival creator payment platforms. Launched in 2013, Patreon has long been the preferred payment platform for many independent visual and audio content creators. Substack, one of its largest competitors, was primarily a platform for writers, becoming the de-facto home for independent (and/or unemployed) journalists and bloggers. But as Substack has grown, the company has increasingly attempted to court video creators, influencers, and podcasters, casting itself more as a payment platform and fan hub.
Patreon took notice. The company has recruited writers to move over from Substack, promising better tech support and more editorial guardrails, in contrast to Substack’s hands-off moderation policy. Substack chief writing officer Hamish McKenzie wrote on Substack that Patreon has been cutting writers and creators checks to switch platforms, but argued that Substack’s recommendations engine and community is still superior.