When Pros Go Indie…

Issue #277 | October 1, 2024

Earlier today, internet culture journalist Taylor Lorenz announced that she’s leaving the Washington Post and launching her own publication on Substack, User Mag. You should go subscribe; Lorenz is promising to drop the old guard’s veneer of journalistic objectivity in favor of The Creator Way™: Honest, gonzo, subjective perspective. We here at Passionfruit formally welcome her to the independent media resistance, vibe la revolution!

As a publication that values independent creators and the people who cover what they’re up to, it makes sense we’re excited for her.

But we’re also excited about what this means for Passionfruit—because we’ll be turning over some of our weekly newsletter intros to Taylor, and she’s going to write whatever the hell she wants here. Meanwhile, our existing Thursday edition from Drew will turn into a special Saturday Passionfruit that you’ll learn more about later this week. That’s right, more Passionfruit, every week!

THE COMMENTS SECTION

“By going independent, I hope to do more of what I love: helping people understand the world around them, inspiring them to build a better internet, holding power to account, and honestly, having a lot more fun!!“
– Taylor Lorenz, User Mag

Taylor Lorenz won’t be a formal employee of Passionfruit, or our parent company, Fragment Media. Instead, we’re putting her on a contract to do regular reporting, opining, and posting for us. We’ll be promoting more of the work that she’s doing over at User Mag, and likewise she’ll be sharing and shaping more of the work you see here at Passionfruit.

It’s a natural move for both of us in this new media economy. The game used to be about working for indies (labels, papers, magazines, studios, etc.), until a major (label, paper, magazine, studio, etc.) came along with a big fat contract. Now, creative professionals can own and publish their work and build their own empires. Independent publishers like Passionfruit should support those pros with flexible contracts that act as the first weave in their safety nets.

What’s good for creators is good for Passionfruit. I can’t wait for the day that Taylor calls me and says, “I can’t do Passionfruit anymore. User Mag is just too big.” Until then, we’ll be paying her to share her vantage, dish the real real, and ultimately write all the stuff that WaPo was too stodgy to even understand the value of (our words, not hers).

Considering one of Lorenz’s first bylines appeared on our Fragment Media sister site The Daily Dot, and our own Drew Grant was the first to mention Lorenz in (digital) print, it does feel like a bit of a homecoming.

Only difference is that this time around: We want to help her build her forever home while we build ours. Welcome to independent media, Taylor Lorenz. Passionfruit and the rest of the internet is lucky to have you on our team. Now go sign up for User Mag!

– James Del, Publisher

PERSONALITIES

‘There Was Never a Discussion of Money’: BibleThump Emote Creator Confused by Removal

Twitch is getting rid of its BibleThump emote and fans, as well as creator Edmund McMillen, don’t understand why.

By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor

Hands holding phones with twitch app over cloud stairway to heaven with crying emoji at the top

→ READ THE FULL STORY

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IN THE BIZ

Spotify now combines free and paid podcasts in one place, making it easier for listeners to subscribe and enjoy premium content.
Three FaZe Clan members accidentally leaked their Twitch subathon earnings.
An artist is suing the U.S. Copyright Office for denying copyright protection for an AI-generated image, arguing his creative input constitutes authorship.
Google is now recognizing some content creators as experts in their fields by displaying “Knowledge Panels” with their specific niche next to their search results.