Exclusive: Vox to partner with Patreon for new paywalled shows

<p><img src="https://img.semafor.com/baa67178a1c90882772b5d647c57202e3a425b6d-5000x3…; alt="baa67178a1c90882772b5d647c57202e3a425b6d"></p><div><p>A prominent platform for creators and podcasters has wooed one of the original unpaywalled digital media brands.</p><p>On Monday, Vox is launching its membership program on Patreon, aiming to capture primarily podcast and video consumers. Executives from the media company told Semafor that Vox’s Patreon supporters will have access to ad-free content and exclusive videos, including two new exclusive series: <em>The Docket</em>, a human impact series focused on Supreme Court decisions, and <em>What’s Working</em>, a “solutions-focused series that highlights policies improving the lives of communities across the country.”</p><p>The company said it hopes to supplement its flagship franchises like the podcast <em>Today, Explained</em>, with live newsroom conversations and community features such as chats.</p><p>“We think all of the tools that Patreon has to foster community are huge,” Swati Sharma, Vox’s editor-in-chief, told Semafor.</p><p>“With fans on Patreon already deeply engaged in podcasts and video — two of our highest-earning categories — Vox’s membership feels like a natural extension of the vibrant community of journalists and storytellers who have been building their audiences on Patreon for years,” Leticia Hirabayashi, senior director of creator acquisition at Patreon, said.</p></div>