Welcome to the era of personality media

Several high-priced journalists have begun experimenting with selling themselves instead of a corporate media brand. Chris Cillizza and Mark Halperin have both started Substack ventures without having the branding back-up of CNN or Bloomberg. The pair follow in the footsteps of Megyn Kelly, who has been enormously successful in launching her own brand. Don Lemon has been confined to social media as well.

Last year, Washington Post tech reporter Taylor Lorenz left corporate media behind to create her own outlet, although I would argue her audience and branding were separate from that of the Post. But one columnist whose brand is embedded in WaPo is Jennifer Rubin, who announced her resignation in a lengthy diatribe no one read, to start her own Substack venture as well.

Semafor is reporting that Chuck Todd will be leaving NBC News this year when his contract is up and is likely to follow the same path. Mega-media personalities such as Piers Morgan have also taken up real estate on YouTube.

Last week, New York magazine reported that the Washington Post laid off their entire PR team. Communications director Kath Baird said the Post will “stop the dedicated practice of publicity for our journalism across broadcast and traditional media outlets” and they shift to a star-building system. She also said, “Talent-driven journalism is the future of media, and personalities and creators will lead the way.”

The question therefore — what is the appetite for personality-driven media platforms? Jennifer Rubin was able to use the pages of the Washington Post to promote her unique brand of dubious sanity. Without the branding of the Post, however, who is going to go out of their way to listen to Rubin, besides DC “living-room #Resistance” types? Should Todd choose the same path, who is going to tune into whatever unleashed insights he has to offer without the power of the peacock and NBC News?

Pay-check journalists largely relied on hefty corporate salaries to sate their egos. Who, though, will cough up $7 a month to read Jennifer Rubin? The ultimate irony in all of this is the former corporate media scolds who are vehemently anti-Trump are becoming just like him — hoping to brand their own name for profit in media. That is how Trump made his billions, by emblazoning his name on casinos, hotels and television shows. Now a slew of media personalities are attempting a Trump act of their own: say the most outrageous thing the loudest to draw as many eyeballs to them as possible.

Chuck Todd scored a nice salary off the back of sales from the 30 Rockefeller gift shop. But who is going out of their way to purchase a Chuck Todd T-shirt? For better or worse, this new era of “personality journalism” will likely confirm the worst impulses of corporate media personalities — that they have always been driven by a thirst for celebrity, not truth in broadcasting. As Jennifer Rubin attempts to out-crazy Don Lemon, who attempts to out-crazy Chris Cillizza for a smaller and smaller piece of the pie, chances are their critics will be exonerated.