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How one newsletter writer is building a subscription business when “paywalls don’t really work”

Nieman Lab 02 September 2026 4h ago
How one newsletter writer is building a subscription business when “paywalls don’t really work”
61
Relevance
9/25
Freshness
25/25
Authority
18/20
Brand Signal
5/15
Depth
4/15
Relevance Freshness Authority Brand Depth
A year ago, a spirited and public-records-powered newsletter needed a mascot. Sleuthy the Seal — born of a “fortuitous misunderstanding” — was created. Journalist and newsletter founder David Covucci promised his wife he’d get the plucky mascot tattooed if he could hit 500 subscribers with the solo venture. The football helmet-wearing seal quickly had a...
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