Simon Owens
@simonowens.bsky.social
Media industry journalist who runs a newsletter and podcast. You can reach me at [email protected]
Occasionally people whine to me about the existence of online paywalls, so I’ve started asking them what news they actually pay for.
February 18, 2026 at 6:58 PM
Occasionally people whine to me about the existence of online paywalls, so I’ve started asking them what news they actually pay for.
I have to post a screengrab here because Bluesky has dumb fucking character restrictions (why it's stopped gaining ground on Threads and Twitter).
February 18, 2026 at 3:58 PM
I have to post a screengrab here because Bluesky has dumb fucking character restrictions (why it's stopped gaining ground on Threads and Twitter).
If I text you this photo, I’m six months behind on my child support payments and need a ride to my job at Dunkin Donuts because my car was impounded after my third DUI
February 18, 2026 at 3:56 AM
If I text you this photo, I’m six months behind on my child support payments and need a ride to my job at Dunkin Donuts because my car was impounded after my third DUI
PAINKILLER OLD FASHIONED
February 18, 2026 at 3:39 AM
PAINKILLER OLD FASHIONED
Dear Substack, it’s awesome that you added this note for when a newsletter writer imported someone’s email address from another platform. This is clear and transparent. I wish every newsletter platform did this.
February 16, 2026 at 4:23 PM
Dear Substack, it’s awesome that you added this note for when a newsletter writer imported someone’s email address from another platform. This is clear and transparent. I wish every newsletter platform did this.
Definitely a clear sign that a startup is worth $1.25 trillion dollars.
February 11, 2026 at 1:18 PM
Definitely a clear sign that a startup is worth $1.25 trillion dollars.
Dear PR people, for the love of god please stop doing this. It is so fucking obvious that you’re just having an AI program ingest my latest podcast episode and then spit out a paragraph summary. Nobody is being fooled by this shit.
February 10, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Dear PR people, for the love of god please stop doing this. It is so fucking obvious that you’re just having an AI program ingest my latest podcast episode and then spit out a paragraph summary. Nobody is being fooled by this shit.
I’ve always hated the rent-a-scooters and bikes because they’re constantly blocking the sidewalks, but over the past week I’ve reached a new level of hatred as they’re even harder to maneuver around. Today I found myself fantasizing about walking around with a hammer and breaking them, one by one.
February 9, 2026 at 8:49 PM
I’ve always hated the rent-a-scooters and bikes because they’re constantly blocking the sidewalks, but over the past week I’ve reached a new level of hatred as they’re even harder to maneuver around. Today I found myself fantasizing about walking around with a hammer and breaking them, one by one.
I love this booming economy
February 9, 2026 at 1:09 PM
I love this booming economy
Pretty hard to deny at this point that Trump is a full blown white supremacist.
February 6, 2026 at 2:28 PM
Pretty hard to deny at this point that Trump is a full blown white supremacist.
Finally cancelled my WashPo subscription. Not even for ideological reasons — but because I was barely reading it. That’s what happens when you shrink your newsroom.
February 6, 2026 at 1:43 PM
Finally cancelled my WashPo subscription. Not even for ideological reasons — but because I was barely reading it. That’s what happens when you shrink your newsroom.
For your consideration
Recipe:
1 ½ oz Popcorn-infused cognac
½ oz Amaro CioCiaro
½ oz Cocchi Storico Vermouth
½ oz Monkey Shoulder scotch
Aztec chocolate bitters
Large ice cube
Add a block of ice and stir
Garnish with cherry
Recipe:
1 ½ oz Popcorn-infused cognac
½ oz Amaro CioCiaro
½ oz Cocchi Storico Vermouth
½ oz Monkey Shoulder scotch
Aztec chocolate bitters
Large ice cube
Add a block of ice and stir
Garnish with cherry
January 26, 2026 at 2:05 AM
For your consideration
Recipe:
1 ½ oz Popcorn-infused cognac
½ oz Amaro CioCiaro
½ oz Cocchi Storico Vermouth
½ oz Monkey Shoulder scotch
Aztec chocolate bitters
Large ice cube
Add a block of ice and stir
Garnish with cherry
Recipe:
1 ½ oz Popcorn-infused cognac
½ oz Amaro CioCiaro
½ oz Cocchi Storico Vermouth
½ oz Monkey Shoulder scotch
Aztec chocolate bitters
Large ice cube
Add a block of ice and stir
Garnish with cherry
I don’t watch a lot of animated movies but checked out MARS EXPRESS based on a podcast recommendation. It was incredible. Definitely deserves to go into the pantheon of great science fiction movies.
January 24, 2026 at 3:00 PM
I don’t watch a lot of animated movies but checked out MARS EXPRESS based on a podcast recommendation. It was incredible. Definitely deserves to go into the pantheon of great science fiction movies.
SWEATER WEATHER
1 oz bourbon
1/2 oz ruby port
1/2 oz amaro (Rabarbaro)
1/2 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz orange juice
1/4 oz allspice dram
Angostura bitters
Stir with ice
Garnish with orange slice
1 oz bourbon
1/2 oz ruby port
1/2 oz amaro (Rabarbaro)
1/2 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz orange juice
1/4 oz allspice dram
Angostura bitters
Stir with ice
Garnish with orange slice
January 23, 2026 at 3:16 PM
SWEATER WEATHER
1 oz bourbon
1/2 oz ruby port
1/2 oz amaro (Rabarbaro)
1/2 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz orange juice
1/4 oz allspice dram
Angostura bitters
Stir with ice
Garnish with orange slice
1 oz bourbon
1/2 oz ruby port
1/2 oz amaro (Rabarbaro)
1/2 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz orange juice
1/4 oz allspice dram
Angostura bitters
Stir with ice
Garnish with orange slice
I feel like MediasTouch is an undercovered media story. It is absolutely dominating on YouTube and social platforms. People have lamented that liberals don’t have their own version of Fox News, but this company is actually killing it at reaching young audiences.
January 21, 2026 at 12:51 PM
I feel like MediasTouch is an undercovered media story. It is absolutely dominating on YouTube and social platforms. People have lamented that liberals don’t have their own version of Fox News, but this company is actually killing it at reaching young audiences.
The NASDAQ is still up over the past month. Investors will basically shrug off everything Trump does right up until the moment the economy goes into a tailspin.
January 19, 2026 at 5:26 PM
The NASDAQ is still up over the past month. Investors will basically shrug off everything Trump does right up until the moment the economy goes into a tailspin.
It would be nice if I didn’t have to constantly worry about what a senile sexpest with access to a nuclear arsenal is going to do on any given day.
January 19, 2026 at 1:56 PM
It would be nice if I didn’t have to constantly worry about what a senile sexpest with access to a nuclear arsenal is going to do on any given day.
Watched a clip of Joe Rogan as he offered a "nuanced" view on ICE, but even as he was criticizing ICE he was spewing all sorts of misinformation about illegal immigrants voting in our elections. The guy is an idiot.
January 16, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Watched a clip of Joe Rogan as he offered a "nuanced" view on ICE, but even as he was criticizing ICE he was spewing all sorts of misinformation about illegal immigrants voting in our elections. The guy is an idiot.
I can't wait for JD Vance's explanation for why the baby had it coming.
January 15, 2026 at 10:28 PM
I can't wait for JD Vance's explanation for why the baby had it coming.
Axios’s entire schtick right now seems to be to grant Democrats anonymity so they can say things that will get other Democrats mad. It works every time.
January 15, 2026 at 1:40 AM
Axios’s entire schtick right now seems to be to grant Democrats anonymity so they can say things that will get other Democrats mad. It works every time.
I’d never heard of the show DROPS OF GOD before but randomly stumbled across it while scrolling through Apple TV+. Two episodes in and I’m definitely enjoying it so far.
January 13, 2026 at 3:35 PM
I’d never heard of the show DROPS OF GOD before but randomly stumbled across it while scrolling through Apple TV+. Two episodes in and I’m definitely enjoying it so far.
PEAROPORTO
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz ruby port
1/2 oz St George Spiced Pear Liqueur
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz maple syrup
Several dashes black walnut bitters
Shake with ice and basil leaves
Serve up with a basil leaf garnish
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz ruby port
1/2 oz St George Spiced Pear Liqueur
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz maple syrup
Several dashes black walnut bitters
Shake with ice and basil leaves
Serve up with a basil leaf garnish
January 12, 2026 at 4:27 PM
PEAROPORTO
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz ruby port
1/2 oz St George Spiced Pear Liqueur
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz maple syrup
Several dashes black walnut bitters
Shake with ice and basil leaves
Serve up with a basil leaf garnish
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz ruby port
1/2 oz St George Spiced Pear Liqueur
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz maple syrup
Several dashes black walnut bitters
Shake with ice and basil leaves
Serve up with a basil leaf garnish
Mark Kelly has emailed me five times today (I have my Gmail filters set so these go straight to trash). Whichever consultant is advising candidates to do this is absolutely destroying the Democratic party and turning millions of voters off.
January 7, 2026 at 3:02 AM
Mark Kelly has emailed me five times today (I have my Gmail filters set so these go straight to trash). Whichever consultant is advising candidates to do this is absolutely destroying the Democratic party and turning millions of voters off.
Threads is the Avatar of social networks
January 6, 2026 at 3:49 AM
Threads is the Avatar of social networks
YOU'RE IN FOR A TREAT
1 oz dark rum
1/2 oz cynar
1/2 oz St George Spiced Pear Liqueur
1/2 oz allspice dram
1/2 oz pineapple shrub syrup*
1/2 oz pineapple juice
few shakes molasses bitters
Stir with ice
Garnish with rosemary sprig
1 oz dark rum
1/2 oz cynar
1/2 oz St George Spiced Pear Liqueur
1/2 oz allspice dram
1/2 oz pineapple shrub syrup*
1/2 oz pineapple juice
few shakes molasses bitters
Stir with ice
Garnish with rosemary sprig
January 5, 2026 at 4:02 PM
YOU'RE IN FOR A TREAT
1 oz dark rum
1/2 oz cynar
1/2 oz St George Spiced Pear Liqueur
1/2 oz allspice dram
1/2 oz pineapple shrub syrup*
1/2 oz pineapple juice
few shakes molasses bitters
Stir with ice
Garnish with rosemary sprig
1 oz dark rum
1/2 oz cynar
1/2 oz St George Spiced Pear Liqueur
1/2 oz allspice dram
1/2 oz pineapple shrub syrup*
1/2 oz pineapple juice
few shakes molasses bitters
Stir with ice
Garnish with rosemary sprig