This is obviously not a monetization stream that can be applied to every single media company out there—if you focus on collectibles, it’s an interesting one—but the strategy behind it is one that all companies should be trying to think about.

Focused, quality-obsessed publications will take advantage of bundle economics to collect “stars” and monetize them through some combination of subscriptions (less likely) or alternate media forms. Said media forms, like podcasts, are tough to grow on their own, but again, that is what makes them such a great match for writing, which is perfect for... See more