The "Resist and Unsubscribe" movement is based on the premise that withdrawing economic participation is the most powerful form of protest in a market-driven society. It's a low-effort way for citizens to exert influence, as markets respond more crisply to shifts in consumer behavior than to ideological arguments.

The primary function of cable news has shifted. It no longer breaks news but instead produces segments specifically designed to be clipped and go viral on social media platforms. Its main impact is now on the broader internet conversation, not its direct viewership.

The old digital media strategy of rapid scaling via social platforms failed because those audiences were not truly owned. They belonged to Google and Facebook, exhibiting no loyalty to the media brand itself. The new focus is on building direct, dedicated audiences.

Digital Spy's traffic exploded when its forums discussed a controversial event from the show *Big Brother* for days before mainstream media. When a national newspaper finally covered it, the forum was the top Google result, proving how niche communities can preempt and dominate news cycles.

When streamer Destiny mobilized his Twitch followers for the Georgia Senate runoff, he fielded more people knocking on doors than the official Democratic Party. This marks a critical shift where online media entities can surpass traditional political parties in real-world mobilization.

Scott Galloway observes that his quirky, self-produced videos garner up to 1M views, while his appearances on CNN primetime reach only 300-400k people. This demonstrates the superior reach of authentic, direct-to-audience social content over traditional broadcast media for individuals building a brand.

The 'Jericho' protest campaign didn't convert protestors into long-term customers. However, the stunt's true, lasting value came from powerful SEO backlinks from media like The New York Times. By redirecting the campaign URL to their main nuts page afterward, they captured this authority, boosting their search ranking for years to come.

Despite declining viewership, legacy media institutions like The New York Times and Washington Post remain critical because they produce the raw content and shape the narratives that fuel the entire digital ecosystem. They provide the 'coal' that other platforms burn for engagement, giving them unrecognized leverage.

Patreon's Jack Conte argues the internet's shift to interest-based discovery (like TikTok) lets anyone break through. The real challenge is converting that fleeting viral attention into a durable audience by strategically funneling viewers to owned platforms like a website or podcast.