Substack's New Frontier

Embracing video in the written world

“Video Killed The Radio Star”, did it?

Well not really, but back in the 70’s some people thought video would kill radio…

So the question some of you may be thinking, will video kill the Substack star??

If you’re a 49’er like me, you’ll probably remember the track “Video Killed The Radio Star” by the Buggles released back in 1979.  The song was considered symbolic as it was a message based on the impact of technology, particularly TV on the music industry.  Its lyrics reflect a nostalgic view of a past era when radio was the dominant medium for music and entertainment.  

I loved the track when it blasted through my parents radio back in 1979, more so, because back then, I was only 5 years old and already knew I wanted to be on the radio. Fast forward 20 years, I ended up working for a local radio station and ended up as a commercial director for Real Radio now Heart FM, not quite working ON radio but certainly in it. Working in radio were the best years of my media career.  My point being is that, video didn’t kill the radio star and I certainly don’t think video will kill the Substack star. But what are your thoughts about it? You may have read this morning that Substack announced they are adding video content into the Substack platform.

The ironic thing about the song by the Buggles, was that it gained significant attention for being the first music video ever to air on MTV when the network launched in 1981. Its release coincided with the dawn of the MTV era, which marked a significant transition of music consumption from solely audio based to a visual medium.

How times have changed, especially now with Substack’s recent announcement to introduce video content onto its platform, which at first glance I was a bit disheartened.  I woke up to a wave of discussions and opinions, some loving the idea and some not so sure.  The shift has intrigued me, mainly due to having spent a decade working in radio, where the spoken word reigned supreme and then it quickly faced huge dynamic challenges from the fast paced digital media landscape.

Substack’s original ethos, dedicated to amplifying the voices of creatives, particularly writers resonates deeply with me.  I love the platform for all it offers, how it empowers creators to share their stories, ideas and recommendations while fostering a direct relationship with their audience through a subscription model.  But as Substack embraces video, I guess for me, it brings with it thoughts of excitement, curiosity, and if I’m honest, a touch of apprehension on how this will change the platform’s essence.

I’m drawn by the written word, but I can’t ignore the allure of exploring new dimensions through video.  I wondered earlier if I could delve into producing journaling prompt videos, especially for my Sunday WORD:ship sessions.  I’m eager to gain your response.  So please do let me know what your thoughts are about Substack’s latest news about launching video content.

Each day it seems like a sprint to keep up with the ever evolving media landscape. I think I’ll need to add an 8th day to my week, just to consume all the compelling content that floods into my Substack feed, what about you?  Are you managing to digest all the content you follow on Substack?  Will you be producing video content or have you seen a glimpse already of someone promising to offer video content on their substack?  Maybe we could start a list of Substackers who have promised to broadcast cool video content. Food for thought, I’m curious as I’m sure you are, about what video content trickles into our Substack feeds over the next couple of weeks.

Until the next time

Take care & stay safe xx