Five Dubs Podcast
In this episode, Rebecca talks with Orestes Baez of APG Media of the Chesapeake and Betsy Griffin of The Star-Democrat about their “Best Move” of 2025: a full-scale overhaul of their newsletter strategy. What began as a fragmented system evolved into a unified, high-performing product reaching more than 96,000 subscribers with open rates well above industry averages.
They discuss how restructuring their approach—integrating content, advertising, and audience strategy—created new revenue opportunities while strengthening direct connections with readers outside of algorithm-driven platforms. The conversation also explores how personalization, data-driven decision-making, and constant testing shape the newsletter’s success, along with how the product fits into broader goals like subscriber growth and community engagement. Along the way, they reflect on balancing innovation with tradition, from AI experimentation to maintaining the local identity that keeps readers coming back.