The Short-Short Version: Articles, Podcasts, and Videos — from The Lunduke Journal — are now, once again, free for absolutely everyone. Subscribers and non-Subscribers alike. On all publishing platforms.
The Slightly Less Short Version
A little over two weeks ago, The Lunduke Journal implemented a change. All of the Articles & Audio Podcasts would remain free for everyone… but the Videos would now be published as subscriber exclusives. Non-subscribers would no longer have access to videos.
This was what is known as a “Huge Mistake Made by a Total Bonehead”.
While the motivation for that change was well intentioned (to provide some perks for all of the amazing subscribers who make The Lunduke Journal possible, and maybe encourage some new subscribers in the process)… in practice it was an absolute disaster.
The key problem with making all of the videos “Subscriber Exclusives” was, in hindsight, incredibly obvious:
Many people will subscribe to The Lunduke Journal on one platform… but prefer to watch (or read… or listen) to The Lunduke Journal on a completely different platform.
For example: Someone who subscribes on Locals may watch the videos on YouTube. Another person who subscribes on Substack may watch on Rumble. And so on.
And, by making those videos “Subscriber Only”, it made watching The Lunduke Journal’s videos significantly more difficult for… Subscribers. The very people it was supposed to be a perk for.
Whoopsie Daisy
Well. Shoot. I’m man enough to admit when I’ve made a mistake. And, boy howdy, was that a mistake!
Effective immediately, Videos are now officially free for everyone (just like the Articles & Podcasts). On all platforms which The Lunduke Journal publishes to. Because making sure reading, listening to, and watching The Lunduke Journal is convenient for all of you is a top priority.
Over the next day, all of the “Subscriber Exclusive” videos (published over the last 2 weeks) will become free for everyone.
Running The Lunduke Journal is Not Easy
Just as an aside: What we’re doing with The Lunduke Journal is… unique.
Pretty much every Tech Journalist is funded by Big Tech. Money for advertisements. Money for sponsorships. Money for “paid articles” that look like real journalism but are, in fact, just repackaged ads and press releases.
Take away that Big Tech money and 9 out of 10 Tech News outlets would go out of business tomorrow. Which means they all need to keep Big Tech happy. And that shows in their coverage (and their refusal to touch many important news stories).
By choosing to not take a single penny from Big Tech, The Lunduke Journal has the freedom to tell the truth. To follow the Tech News stories wherever they lead (no matter who it makes grumpy).
But it also means that keeping The Lunduke Journal in business is even trickier than it is for all of those Brand X Tech News Outlets (which already have a hard time staying afloat, even with the Big Tech moolah).
What’s amazing… is that we, against all odds, have pulled it off. For several years now, The Lunduke Journal has stayed in business without taking a dime from Big Tech. And that’s all thanks to all of you. Thank you for making this possible.
If you haven’t grabbed a subscription, just a reminder that now is a great time to do that. 50% off through the end of August (which is a few days from now).
Want to support The Lunduke Journal having all videos (and everything else) for free for the world? That would be a great way to do it.
Once again. Seriously.
Thank you.
-Lunduke
