The New Media Tools Landscape

The latest tools moving the new media landscape forward.

Ollie Forsyth

May 18, 2026

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There’s a new shift quietly reshaping Silicon Valley — and suddenly, everyone is paying attention.

It’s called new media.

As legacy media continues to decline, more people are turning to trusted creators for news and insights. What once felt niche is quickly becoming mainstream, with hundreds of independent creators already shaping the next era of media.

A few weeks ago, we published The New Media Landscape, mapping the creators and channels reshaping how people consume information online.

The response made one thing clear: audiences are increasingly moving away from traditional media brands and toward independent creators.

The shift is already starting to show up in the data. According to recent traffic rankings, Substack ranked among the top 10 most visited news and media platforms in April, ahead of NBC.

If the term “new media” is new to you, it’s not actually a new concept. Some would say it’s simply the latest term for the creator economy — and that’s probably the most accurate way to think about it. However, following OpenAI’s recent acquisition of technology show TBPN, the category is clearly having a moment as you can see in our viral post.

So why is new media having so much momentum right now? There are a few reasons:

AI slop is everywhere. In a recent podcast episode with Medium CEO, Tony Stubblebine, we discussed what AI-generated content actually means for the future of the internet. Will it eventually fade out? Everyone will have their own opinion, but the new media channels that survive will likely be the ones focused on taste: content that is either timely or timeless. We may also see a trend where timeless content goes private as we discussed in the episode.
Our attention spans are becoming shorter, faster than ever, forcing platforms to constantly reinvent how they capture — and keep — people’s attention. Some of us rely on AI models for answers, while others increasingly turn to independent creators they trust.
Tech companies are no longer using traditional Google and social ads as much as they don’t move the needle enough anymore. Instead, they are partnering with creators to better position them as market leaders.

Discover the latest new media channels across technology and where this category is heading.

The NEW MEDIA Stack

Following the release of The NEW MEDIA Landscape, today we’re publishing the tooling landscape: the platforms helping new media creators do what they do best — creating content and building their businesses.

To make the map easier to navigate, we’ve categorized the tools into the following areas:

Ads: Design ads within a few clicks.
AI / Agentic Video: Edit and create videos with AI.
AI Content Detection: Identify whether content has been AI-generated.
AI Studios: Studios creating videos and films using AI.
Build AI Agents: Build and deploy AI agents.
Build Apps & Websites: Create apps and websites within minutes.
Cited by AI Models: Help brands and creators get cited by AI models.
Clipping: Tools for clipping and repurposing content.
Community: Platforms for building communities.
CRM: Manage contacts and relationships in one place.
Design: Create graphics and visual assets.
Dubbing: Translate content into multiple languages.
Editing: Edit videos, photos and clips.
Engage with Fans: Find new ways to connect with audiences.
Fans Supporting Creators: Monetize through memberships, tipping and one-off events.
Financing: Banking and fundraising.
Grow on YouTube: Tools designed to help creators grow on YouTube.
Legal: Manage contracts and legal workflows.
Link In Bio: Keep all your links in one place.
Live Streaming: Stream across multiple platforms.
Music: Royalty-free music for content creators.
Newsletters: Platforms for publishing written content.
Podcasting: Tools built for podcasters.
Presentations: Create presentations using AI.
Productivity: Tools designed to improve workflows and efficiency.
Research: AI models and tools that support research.
Social Platforms: The social platforms we use daily.
Talent: Hire creators and talent.