New subscriptions allow Crux to re-launch on Substack

A dramatic increase in paid subscribers, following our hibernation decision, has made it possible for Crux to re-launch on Substack from next Monday, November 11.

Crux wants to thank our new paid Southern Lakes subscribers for their support - it is important and very much appreciated. 

The level and speed of audience support has been unexpected and details of the content to be published on Substack are still being finalised.

It’s clear however that a new business model will abandon local advertising that has been difficult and expensive to secure. Our readers have been clear over the years that’s it’s our investigative reporting that is valued most.

It’s early days, but that will be the focus, even though this is the hardest and most time-consuming branch of journalism.

There will be less coverage of general day to day news that is often covered by direct police, council and NZTA posts on social media.

One of the main motivations to keep Crux going is that our work holding power to account is by no means complete.

We are making progress, and the Chief Ombudsman is currently investigating openness and transparency at the Queenstown Lakes District Council. We need to be across that investigation and fully report the results.

There also, in due course, needs to be room to celebrate local success stories, explore innovation and publish podcasts that provide a platform for a wide wide variety of local voices. Again, it is all time consuming and there will inevitably be some trial and error – some quiet patches.

This content will be for paid subscribers only, but shorter versions of some content will be published free of charge to the Crux website after a time delay.

Substack is a relatively new platform that allows writers and smaller publishers to monetise their content without having to employ a sales team or website developers. It will also allow comment from paid Crux subscribers in a safe and non-toxic environment.

That’s an area we want to build on. Stories, points of view and direction from our audience away from the entertaining but often limited forum of Facebook.

Sadly, even though subscriptions have grown since our hibernation decision, there is now only the ability for Crux to support one person, managing editor Peter Newport, until revenue builds.

The loss of our small but very special team has been gut-wrenching but is a sign of tough times in news media being experienced all over the world.

There’s also an urgency and timeliness to this move. Google and Meta/Facebook are heading for a battle with our government over media funding. That battle will see major disruption to the appearance of news on those platforms and in the end could mainly benefit the large NZ news platforms that want to replace their historic print profits in a digital age.

We need to find a safe, neutral place to connect directly with our audience. That place is Substack.

Please make sure that all your friends, relatives and colleagues are aware of the urgent need to keep Crux strong.

We need a lot more subscribers to make this work.

I am available to answer questions and help with any subscription problems on [email protected]