Exploring the business models of new media.
Media businesses are just art with a way to make money. As an early employee at Shopify and Substack, over the last decade I’ve been lucky to work directly with thousands of internet businesses on the frontiers of media. Now, I write an industry newsletter exploring that world — how is media evolving, and what sorts of businesses might come of it?
If you operate a media company or work in content in any capacity, I’m confident this newsletter will help you do your best work. I won’t always have answers, but I promise to explore interesting questions.
For $12/month or $120/year, you can expect:
I. GAME TAPE: Weekly critiques on the most interesting new media properties. I bring in a guest to highlight lessons on a stunt, show, or other new media property, so that you can remix what’s already working elsewhere.
II. STRATEGY: Deep dives on the frontiers of new media. Paying subscribers will get a weekly post with frameworks, strategy, essays on relevant trends, and anything else I feel may help you build your media property. If the case studies are an outline of what’s working today, then think of these as an outline of what might work tomorrow.
III. CHAOS: Watch me fuck around and find. In obnoxious tech parlance, I will forever be an “operator.” I’m going to try some dumb stuff on the internet1 to test/prove whether my theories actually work. Sometimes this will come in the form of stunts, and sometimes this will come in the form of actively managing new media businesses.
(I love my trickster fox stealing fire from the gods)
Publishing schedule and holidays
Pay Attention publishes every Tuesday (Game Tape case study) and Thursdays (business deep dives).
Expect to get more than 100 issues in your inbox every full calendar year.
Exceptions to the standard publishing schedule are 15 total business days off a year. In 2026, the remaining days are:
May 18th-22nd
July 20th-24th
December 21st - January 1st
Thanks for letting me not burn out <3
This schedule can be changed in case of unexpected events, but you’re guaranteed at least 100 issues a year. Last updated: Jan 1, 2026.
Change is afoot online, and it’d be wise to pay attention.
If there’s something you think I should cover, or would like to work together, you can reach me at shaiyankhan@gmail.com
