This move would have been more authentic to Substack's mission if they had incubated and supported *existing* writers on the platform who want to explore video as a format vs. luring TikTok creators and YouTubers. Substack has realized that the way to make gobs of money is to expand the platform's network of users/non-creators exponentially. And Tiktokers and YouTubers arguably have the largest audiences right now, not writers.

It's a smart business move, but it does annoy me as a writer on the platform. Will written content still receive the same support and visibility? Where does control over my own audience and content start and end here? Substack likes to tout that you "own" your audience—yet they're still using your email list to send automated emails to get your subscribers to follow and subscribe to other publications (or channels? (Or whatever it is they will call it now.) It feels so weird to me that the hundreds of thousands of my readers who I brought onto Substack are getting automated emails that are not sent by me... Will they now be asked to subscribe to video creators' channels? Anyway - interesting move and will be following how this unfolds...