Andrew Sullivan is lighting out on his own, hoping his blog The Dish will make enough money to stay afloat without the assistance of the Daily Beast or any other publication.
His plan has a number of details that set it apart from other attempts to monetize online media: no ads (for now), no paywall (sort of), and an option for dedicated fans to pay over and above the annual subscription price, to name a few.
But if Sullivan succeeds, it won’t be because of any financial innovation—rather, it’ll have to do with the discussion around journalism and memoir we joined yesterday. Ann Friedman explains:
The really modern thing about Sullivan is that he is a brand unto himself, a journalist who transcends the outlets that have employed him. There is a particular Andrew Sullivan tone, a particular Andrew Sullivan perspective on the world. This is something his readers enjoy and value, something that keeps them coming back, and maybe (hopefully) something that prompts them to shell out $19.99 per year.
