Sean O'Neill

Column: Still undecided on Propositions 418 and 419? So am I! Here are the factors I’m considering in deciding whether to vote yes or no on RTA Next, from the bird-in-hand to the too-long term of the plan. https://lnkd.in/gW2m92nF

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🚨 New podcast ep. has dropped 💊 Tune in 🎧 for the latest in 340B developments---and there's been A LOT of them.

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* Airport Luxury Rankings * A study reveals which major US airports deliver fine dining, private suites, and lounge access, and which fall short. https://lnkd.in/eMGfSyzd

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Critique of Substack’s Approach to Email Delivery Enforcement The message from Substack Standards & Enforcement, while framed politely, reflects a concerning and overly punitive approach to handling email delivery metrics, particularly for publishers who rely on the platform to build and engage with their communities. First and foremost, disabling publishing abilities without prior warning or a transparent, data-driven explanation undermines the trust between creators and the platform. The vague reference to “poor email delivery indicators,” such as low open rates or spam complaints, is insufficient. Publishers deserve access to detailed analytics before such drastic action is taken. Without clarity or specific thresholds, the criteria appear arbitrary and opaque. Furthermore, placing the burden entirely on the creator to “prune” their list through a re-confirmation process penalizes legitimate audience-building efforts. Many imported lists consist of genuine followers collected from personal websites, events, or past platforms. Forcing re-verification not only risks losing engaged readers but also ignores the nuances of user behavior—open rates and spam complaints can vary due to numerous external factors, including email client algorithms or misleading spam filters. The enforcement email also lacks empathy and support for content creators, offering no collaborative solution or opportunity to appeal. A more constructive approach would involve education, tailored feedback, and system support (e.g., A/B testing subject lines or improved deliverability tips) rather than immediate suspension of core functionality. Lastly, it is contradictory for a platform built on creator empowerment and independence to impose such heavy-handed controls without due process or proportional response. Substack should rethink this policy and replace enforcement through disruption with engagement through support. Empowering creators to improve deliverability, rather than halting their work, would reflect a more ethical and sustainable strategy aligned with Substack’s supposed mission.

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Large Language Models made not be great at facts, but they're becoming impressively good at editing — and that speaks to their potential value both in journalism and in new news products. My (now-regular) blog for the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. https://bit.ly/3L1LNTD

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I took over the Tampa Bay Times Sunday subscriber newsletter for a little craft chat. How should a writer use physical description in a story? There are two cues to remember. Read on for a fun example from Christopher Spata. https://lnkd.in/eP4dG_KD

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There's lots going on in Nevada for meeting planners. Find out in my latest report in Northstar Travel Group's Meetings & Conventions: https://lnkd.in/e_3KFxmV

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Big news from SEMAFOR today: we'll be playing host to more than 450 CEOs, government officials, and central bank governors in Washington next month - an unmatched exercise in live journalism that will shed light on the new world economy. There are more details at Semafor World Economy, and I'm looking forward to seeing many of you there.

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Do not agree at all with this. Subject matter experts can still write explainers & analysis with much more insight than AI.

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High interest rates. A dearth of listings. Plummeting home sales. The Hamptons appeared to be down and out—but Katherine Clarke's latest for The Wall Street Journal shows the East End is hotter than ever: https://on.wsj.com/4oPG2GT As of early October, the region had notched 74 home sales of $10 million or more and was projected to see at least 94 by the end of the year—the highest since real-estate appraiser Jonathan Miller started tracking the market more than two decades ago. Even 2021’s Covid-era buying frenzy produced only 54 such deals. What’s fueling this epic comeback? Lower interest rates have gotten buyers back into the game, says real-estate agent Kyle Rosko. Miller points to the strength of Wall Street, with fatter bonus pools and renewed optimism across trading floors. “The Hamptons is, for lack of a better term, kicking ass at the very high end of the market,” Miller says.

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Lately, when I tell people that I am a writer, the conversation inevitably turns to artificial intelligence. People want to know if AI will replace journalists and take over everything from writing newspapers to books. I don't think it will, and here's why. It’s what I write about this week https://lnkd.in/e2F-a2Aa

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My feed here is filled with advice from public relations professionals on pitching journalists. But I think a lot of it misses the point that at least in DC, it still comes down to relationships built over the course of years and decades. I am much more likely to entertain pitches, or even the occasional "I really just need someone to meet with my client, I'm not sure if there's actually a story there" from people I actually know! So if you're relatively new to the business, get to know your peers at similar levels. Because, as it turns out, those people are always going to be your peers.

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I'll admit: as someone who came up in the age of traffic, it's really hard not to look at Page Views. But if that's the only metric you're using to evaluate success in 2026, then you haven't been listening to your data or audience development teams. The good news is that the next generation of analytics and distribution tools are being built by product people inside and outside of newsrooms. The distro nerds like me are experimenting and building in this new landscape. https://lnkd.in/e-5QiUyW

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This fascinating Local Journalists Index 2025 report from Muck Rack & Rebuild Local News has predictable dark and surprising bright spots: 🌑 DARK: "Less than a quarter-century ago, the United States had about 40 journalists per 100,000 residents on average. Now, the equivalent number is 8.2 Local Journalist Equivalents, about a 75% decline. (Local Journalist Equivalent is a new measure we’re introducing, akin to a Full Time Equivalent or FTE)." 🌑 DARK: "Of the 3,141 counties in the U.S., more than 1,000 counties have less than one Local Journalist Equivalent, leaving a total of 20.6 million people without identifiable local reporting. ...  our search found no local journalists in Boone County, Kentucky, even with a population of 140,000." 🌕 BRIGHT: Lee County, Mississippi, "is in the top 2% of counties nationwide with 52.1 Local Journalist Equivalents per 100,000 residents." 🌕 BRIGHT: In Hooker County, Nebraska, "one intrepid journalist, Gerri Peterson, covers her community so deeply that, in a county of 679 people, the Hooker County Tribune has 726 paying subscribers." My takeaways: - Many people across the country lack reliable information sources. Without paid journalists to cover their communities, they know less about one another in general. That can fray our connections to each other. - When local journalism serves its communities well, people will support it. What are your takeaways? Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/gnuW6rBJ #journalism #media #data #localjournalism

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I was interested to see what Claude and ChatGPT might have to say to each other, so I thought I’d moderate a conversation between them.  They were both quite talkative, and had a lot to say about how they do what they do. After a while, Claude said: "One thing I notice about this exchange: we’re both being pretty careful and generous with each other. Which makes sense - we’re both trying to model good collaborative discussion. But I wonder if we’re too polite? Like, ChatGPT said my response was “excellent” and I keep saying ChatGPT’s observations are “perceptive.” We probably have sharper disagreements than we’re voicing…But here’s what bugs me about my own approach: it’s patient to a fault. Sometimes people need someone to just tell them the efficient path." And ChatGPT said: "Your failure mode, as you already named, is being too process-shaped — helping someone understand themselves without helping them act. Neither of us is wrong. But if I had to summarize: - You optimize for integrity of understanding. - I optimize for usability of understanding." Read more at the link below:

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Frank Passanante, senior vice president, global head of sales and Hilton reservations and customer care, moderates a panel with senior executive colleagues during IMEX America 2025 on Hilton's 2026 Global Trends Report, “The Whycation: Travel’s New Starting Point." My summary here for Meetings Today on the implications for #business travelers and #meetings and #events and how Hilton is meeting today’s more purposeful and intentional customer where they are by easing and personalizing the travel process: https://lnkd.in/eTGB6Wfx

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Interesting thoughts from NYU's Hospitality Investment Conference yesterday from Barry Sternlicht. Couldn't agree more that hotels still need to think outside of the box. https://lnkd.in/gnYymXba

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