A Substacker on Covering the Supreme Court

CREATOR NEWSLETTER


For decades, coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court has been dominated by legacy media. But the rise of independent journalists is starting to disrupt that monopoly. This week, Erin Reed, a transgender journalist and content creator with nearly half a million followers on TikTok and a popular Substack newsletter, made history as one of the first trans content creators to receive press credentials for a Supreme Court trial. 

Reed covered a landmark case on transgender healthcare, blending real-time updates, legal analysis, and personal insight to bring her audience into the courtroom in a way mainstream outlets rarely do. 

From sharing live updates and providing links to Supreme Court oral arguments to organizing interactive discussions, she brought an accessible, community-driven approach to a space typically reserved for the establishment press.

Reed’s coverage shows how content creators are carving out space in old school institutions. By covering the Supreme Court on platforms like Substack and TikTok, she’s pioneering a model of reporting and changing people’s notions of what it means to report from the highest court in the land. Read our interview with Reed here.


PLATFORMS

When Platforms Fail: A Case Study in YouTube’s Creator Support Gap

single design with a cutout of an older woman over an image of the world

If the above image got you excited, you should read this

Sorry, this isn’t an advertisement for that weird B12 powder they’re selling on TikTok Shops. It’s a little friendly unpaid promotion of our friends at The Small Bow, the best newsletter for understanding addiction, recovery, and sobriety (without all the preachy stuff). Even if you don’t have a problem and love a good holiday party, that slope gets particularly slippery this time of year, and The Small Bow is a great resource for creative geniuses users and non-users alike.


IN THE BIZ


CULTURE

Muppet Fandom Shaken By Scandal

It’s not easy being green.

By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor

The X profile page for the account Muppet History appears to be burning like paper.

TIPS & TRICKS

August the duck and Babbish

The Work Never Stops, So Here Are Tips For Creating Content Quickly That Doesn’t Suck

By working earlier you can set yourself up for success

By merritt k, Passionfruit Contributor


JOB BOARD


WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:

Content for Creators.

News, tips, and tricks delivered to your inbox twice a week.

Newsletter Signup

Latest Newsletters

  • In Defense of Meme Halloween Costumes

    In Defense of Meme Halloween Costumes

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #284 | Oct. 24, 2024 – Taylor Lorenz, Passionfruit Contributor PLATFORMS YouTube vs. GunTube Why a crackdown on firearms videos is more complex than it may seem. By Lon Harris, Passionfruit Contributor → READ THE FULL STORY SPONSORED The 29th Annual Webby Awards are open! Join past winners like MrBeast, Recess Therapy, Abi Marquez, and Mark Rober, and be recognized alongside culture-shaping brands and companies like Netflix, Gucci,…

  • Twitch Criticized for Its Approach to Israel and Palestine Content

    Twitch Criticized for Its Approach to Israel and Palestine Content

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #283 | Oct. 22, 2024 On Sunday, Twitch released an apology statement acknowledging that it had “inadvertently” blocked user sign-ups from Palestine and Israel since Oct. 7, 2023. In the story below, Passionfruit’s Charlotte Colombo explains why this “unacceptable miss” happened and how creators spotted the error. Though people from both Palestine and Israel were…

  • Harassment on X Just Got a Lot Worse

    Harassment on X Just Got a Lot Worse

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #282 | Oct. 17, 2024 This week, X confirmed that major changes are coming to the block feature, leading many content creators and large accounts to question their use of the platform. These changes were previously announced by Elon Musk. Beginning “soon,” blocking someone on X will no longer actually block them from seeing your…