Attention Shift

The Indie Media Playbook: Eric Newcomer on Trust, Transparency, and the Business of Being Feisty


Listen Later

What happens when a journalist ditches the newsroom and builds one of Substack’s most influential publications from scratch? In this episode, we talked to Eric Newcomer—former Bloomberg reporter and founder of Newcomer—about going independent, building trust in the chaos of modern media, and what it means to be both the reporter and the brand.

Eric opened up about his transition from legacy media to solo operator, how the pandemic shaped the new media wave, and why insider-first reporting resonates so deeply in Silicon Valley. We dug into the power of showing your work, why being “radically transparent” has helped him stand out, and what comms pros can learn from the indie creator model.


We also got into it on:

  • Why the loudest VC voices don’t reflect the whole industry
  • The changing expectations of tech audiences
  • The evolution of AI tools—and why agents are the next big story
  • What happens when media brands become people
  • Why Chamath Palihapitiya is a case study in attention-grabbing grift

If you’re in comms and navigating how to earn trust, build reputation, or simply get your message through the noise, this one’s a must-listen.


About Eric Newcomer


Eric Newcomer is a journalist, podcaster, and founder of Newcomer, a Substack newsletter and events business focused on the startup and venture capital world. Previously a tech reporter for Bloomberg, Eric went solo in 2020 and quickly grew Newcomer into a go-to source for insiders across Silicon Valley and beyond. He’s known for sharp reporting, transparent business updates, and his ability to cover the tech elite without getting cozy.

Eric lives in New York and frequently covers VC from the inside out, hosts events in major tech hubs, and has a healthy obsession with the next wave of AI.


Sponsored by:
Delve.

“Delve is an insight engine that transforms how brands understand their world.”

It ingests every public mention across your online universe, then decodes and pushes it past the top-level insights to create real, usable intelligence. Top global companies and agencies already use Delve to stay ahead.
Learn more at delve.news/shift



Resources discussed in this episode:

  • The Skimm
  • TikTok Creator Fund
  • Meta Creator Tools
  • Jessica Yellin - News Not Noise
  • Delve 
  • MikeWorldWide
  • Newcomer on Substack
  • General Catalyst
  • The Information
  • Cursor
  • Codium (now Qodo)
  • Devin 
  • OpenAI
  • Platformer by Casey Newton
  • Garbage Day by Ryan Broderick


Contact Allison Braley and Sean Garrett: 

  • MixingBoard.co
  • LinkedIn: Allison Braley
  • LinkedIn: Sean Garrett
  • LinkedIn: Mixing Board

Contact Eric Newcomer: 

  • Website: newcomer.co
  • LinkedIn: Eric Newcomer

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Attention ShiftBy Allison Braley and Sean Garrett

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

10 ratings


More shows like Attention Shift

View all
Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,189 Listeners

Planet Money by NPR

Planet Money

30,842 Listeners

Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,283 Listeners

Pivot by New York Magazine

Pivot

9,202 Listeners

Channels with Peter Kafka by Vox Media Podcast Network

Channels with Peter Kafka

552 Listeners

How I Built This with Guy Raz by Guy Raz | Wondery

How I Built This with Guy Raz

30,224 Listeners

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos by Pushkin Industries

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

14,396 Listeners

People I (Mostly) Admire by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

People I (Mostly) Admire

2,135 Listeners

Coaching Real Leaders by Harvard Business Review / Muriel Wilkins

Coaching Real Leaders

652 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

15,321 Listeners

Search Engine by PJ Vogt

Search Engine

4,352 Listeners

The Interview by The New York Times

The Interview

1,466 Listeners

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus by Lemonada Media

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

10,459 Listeners

Culture Study Podcast by Anne Helen Petersen

Culture Study Podcast

656 Listeners

Smart in Public by Katie Boysen & Katie Dufficy

Smart in Public

7 Listeners