The Best New York Times Newsletters

In recent years, email newsletters have experienced a surge in popularity, with many media companies seeking to capitalize on this trend. The Atlantic was one of the earliest adopters of this format, launching a newsletter program that attracted high-profile writers such as Charlie Warzel, Molly Jong-Fast, and Nicole Chung.

The program, which paid its writers a base salary, plus bonuses for achieving certain targets, proved successful in attracting new readers to the publication. However, with the world slowly opening up again, executives are reassessing their strategies. 'As the world has started to open, people don't have as much time,' said Jacob Cohen Donnelly, publisher of Morning Brew and author of A Media Operator.

The Atlantic's program was designed to incentivize writers to convert readers into subscribers, with some writers earning total annual compensation approaching $400,000 if they could convert 14,500 readers. However, it appears that the company is now taking a closer look at its deals with writers, with plans to extend contracts and assess how the newsletters affect subscription rates.

While The Atlantic's newsletter program has likely contributed to the publication's bottom line, newer entrants in the market are swerving away from email after experimenting with the format. Despite this, it seems that the company is committed to continuing its newsletter program, albeit with a more nuanced approach.

The shift away from email newsletters is likely due to the changing priorities of tech giants and the unforgiving economics of digital media. In recent years, the humble email became a star in its own right, but as priorities have shifted, it appears that executives are taking a harder look at their deals with writers.

In conclusion, The Atlantic's newsletter program has been one of the most successful examples of this format, attracting high-profile writers and converting readers into subscribers. While the company is reassessing its strategy, it remains committed to continuing its newsletter program, albeit with a more targeted approach.

Best new york times newsletters