I was walking the dog when a bloke driving past shouted out the window: where’s the recommendation week article? Well, here it is.
Media
One of the things we talk about here is the rise of independent media. This chart on how streaming is eating broadcasting’s lunch won’t shock anyone. What’s worth your attention is who’s winning inside streaming. This is Nielsen’s own measurement of US TV viewing, not a survey, and it says YouTube is the single biggest thing on the screen: 15.8% of all US TV viewing, ahead of Netflix, Disney and everyone else. Off the back of that, Netflix is facing some real headwinds. It’s been a rough ride for the stock price.
Part of the problem is the business model. Netflix’s content and production spend for 2026 is roughly US$20 billion, up about 10% on 2025’s ~$18 billion. That’s money bet on content nobody’s watched yet. YouTube only pays out on content that’s already found an audience.
And you might be thinking, fine, but Netflix owns the TV screen and YouTube owns the phone. Here’s some more bad news for Netflix.
What’s this got to do with us, I hear you ask? It’s more proof that independent media is making real waves. Get on it.
P.S. Instagram has announced it’s getting into the long-form video business. It’s early days but a bunch of creators are up in arms because it looks like they’re not going to pay for the content in the way that Youtube does. They’re threatening to boycott the product. Good luck with that. Meta has never had trouble getting people to give them stuff for free and then serve them back the same stuff at a price.
Book
This month’s pick is Man in the Mirror: Hope, Struggle, and Belonging in an American City by Anand Giridharadas. It centres on the 2023 New York subway death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man once known for his Michael Jackson impersonations, killed by ex-Marine Daniel Penny.
I listened to the audiobook. What draws you in is that you keep waiting for your own bias to be confirmed. It never is. The police officer, the homeless activist, the suburban mum, each point of view sounds reasonable, at least on first pass. The whole thing works like a Rorschach test for the state of the United States.
Podcast
If you know me, you know I’m a massive Rich Roll fan. Ten years of listening, regularly. This one’s different though. It’s a business podcast, and this time Rich is the guest, talking about how he built a media business the hard way. No rage bait, no feeding the algorithm, just integrity and an actual relationship with his audience. Over 1,000 episodes in, he’s now building a platform for others who think the same way.
Rich Roll on the Masters of Scale podcast
Documentary
An ask for you this month. There are two documentaries I haven’t seen yet, both from director Judd Apatow, and I want to see them. Problem is, I’ve cancelled my Netflix account. So: if you’ve seen either, send me a review.
The first is Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald.
The other is Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story, which has only just landed on Netflix. (Did I mention I cancelled my Netflix account?)
Both are what’s called a comedian’s comedian. Highly respected, not nearly as well known as they should be.
Moment of Zen
Ken Robinson on talking to Paul McCartney about unspotted talent.
https://youtube.com/shorts/hC0-CFAUAew?si=hBqgtLySTzIkffzV
That’s a wrap
So that’s it for this month, as always if you’ve read, listened, or watched something you think I might like, send it my way.
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