Halina Bennet Addresses Journalism's Future in Slow Boring Mailbag

Matthew Yglesias, founder of the prominent Substack newsletter Slow Boring, announced a special "mailbag" session featuring Writing Fellow Halina Bennet, providing subscribers with an opportunity to engage directly with her insights. The announcement, made via X (formerly Twitter) on September 19, 2025, highlighted a unique Q&A format where Bennet tackled questions regarding her career path and the evolving landscape of journalism.

"It's a @halbennet mailbag! https://t.co/f4SIzvHAF4," Yglesias stated in his tweet, linking to the full Q&A. This session served as a "twist on the mailbag," allowing readers to better understand Bennet's contributions to the platform.

Bennet, who joined Slow Boring after working at a large, legacy newsroom, shared her perspective on the challenges and opportunities within the media industry. She emphasized her decision to move to a smaller, independent outlet like Slow Boring, driven by a desire for more writing opportunities and a focus on daily news reporting rather than opinion pieces. Bennet noted that she was "brought on to the team to add a daily news element that hopefully beefs up the content you as a subscriber receive."

In the mailbag, Bennet directly addressed the viability of journalism as a career, expressing optimism despite the industry's ongoing transformations. She highlighted her belief that journalism will continue to exist, adapting to new models and technologies. Her experience includes internships at small newspapers, fostering a passion for daily reporting and community engagement.

Bennet's role at Slow Boring involves contributing news-focused content, distinguishing her work from Yglesias's analytical approach to politics and policy. This initiative underscores Slow Boring's commitment to providing diverse content and fostering direct engagement with its paid subscriber base, a key feature of the Substack model. Her insights offer a valuable perspective on the future direction of news dissemination and content creation in the digital age.