The sheer amount of Internet content—true or not—is one of the reasons 62 percent of people use social media as a news source, but it’s also part of why more discerning audiences are retreating to the humble email newsletter.
While the post-election surge of interest in reputable journalism led to subscription surges at many major publishers, it also leaves readers with an overabundance of news.
People want real news but need it fast, and newsletters provide the convenience of Facebook with less noise.
Meanwhile, the email newsletters publishers have long relied on to boost engagement and ROI are now being recognized as a means to hold onto these new subscribers. Though derided and routinely declared dead, email remains a favorite of audiences and publishers alike simply by playing to its strengths: delivering easily-digestible content that increases traffic....
The email newsletter may have a new life as a trusted source for "real" news as well as a filter for all the news and social media "noise" around us. Of course, it could also be used for fake news too.