I follow a few different people on Substack, and I think we're at an interesting crossroads.

There are journalists and reporters who are finding their voice in a grassroots channel and allowing their presence, their sources and their material to shine. They're building their credibility and careers up from the foundations.

At the other end of the spectrum, corporations with no journalistic integrity whatsoever pay their people to spout inane, antisocial misinformation.

Strange days.

@sumpnlikefaith
Please educate me. What IS a substack, and why is it called that?
I have a general idea, but I'd like more clarification.
Thanks.

@okika_hilo Certainly! It's an online content publishing platform.

Anyone can start an account on Substack, and start writing on it -- effectively it's the next iteration of a blogging site.

Substack is structured to enable subscribers, including paid subscribers of different levels (of the author's choosing) -- it's similar to Patreon in that sense.

It's also developing its own internal social media channels to facilitate dialogue and community-building between authors and subscribers.