Online audiences shifted from stepping stones to destinations for creative careers

Evidence

The internet didn’t just give former outcasts a chance for redemption; it also forged new paths to creative success. In earlier eras, building an online audience was a mere stepping stone toward a career in traditional media. Policy wonk bloggers like Ezra Klein and Matthew Yglesias parlayed their followings into high-profile jobs at The Washington Post and Slate, respectively, while mommy bloggers moved from AdSense-reliant websites to lucrative endorsement deals with major brands. — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 288

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The newest scholarship epoch shifted from platforms to the culture of internet fame itself. — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity: Understanding Fame…, 652; The web enabled mass amateurization of creative work formerly reserved for professionals — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 905