Jim Acosta and Substack's Chris Best discuss Jim's move to Substack - The Jim Acosta Show

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Transcript35 lines

[00:01]
Chris Best
Let's get started.
[00:02]
Jim Acosta
Sure.
[00:02]
Chris Best
Hi, I'm Chris Best. I'm the co founder and CEO of Substack, and I'm here today with Jim Acosta, who is a veteran journalist and former CNN anchor turned wildly successful substacker. Jim, thank you for being here.
[00:19]
Jim Acosta
Hey, you're welcome. And thanks for the compliment.
[00:23]
Chris Best
I wanted to ask you, you know, a few years ago, people knew Substack primarily as a place for writers and print journalists. And you're a journalist, but you're also a TV star. And you didn't know what Substack was a few weeks ago. And today you're sort of running this thriving independent media empire. Just how did that happen?
[00:47]
Jim Acosta
Gosh, it's a good question. I have no idea. No, it's funny. The wonderful Catherine Valentine there at Substack, she reached out to me and said, hey, Jim, do you want to try this thing that we're doing over here? I said, yeah, sure, why not? And to your point, I had the same thought about Substack. I thought it was a terrific app. I thought it was primarily a place where people would share their writing, their journalism, had a lot of respect for it and so on, but didn't realize it was this kind of big podcasting platform or potentially big podcasting platform. And as soon as I started doing it, I was hooked. I was really kind of addicted right away because in addition to having the ability to sort of turn your phone into a TV studio and bring in, as I call them, my friends and family to come on my show, you get the instant response from the viewers, from the people who are tuning in and giving you their comments. And so sometimes I'll be interviewing a lawmaker or an opinion leader or somebody like that, and somebody will make a point or ask a question, and I'll think, oh, yeah, why didn't I think of that? That's a good question. And then I' ask that question. So it's a fun platform. It's got a lot going for it, and, yeah, I'm hooked.
[02:06]
Chris Best
That's awesome. And if you're watching this on the recording, you can't see all of the hearts streaming from the bottom as he talks about the viewers joining in. Yeah. Is it true that you started the whole thing strictly from your phone? You didn't have a computer at the moment and had it just going?
[02:20]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, I had not. I had, like, an old work laptop. I had an old work phone. Got rid of those, got a new iPhone. I tried to get the one with best camera I could possibly find. Because I thought, well, okay, I'm a TV guy. I want this to sort of look good. And since then, I've gotten a little bit better about not worrying about my hair and that kind of shit or what I'm wearing. And I went out and got a laptop, too, and so it's been a lot of fun. I've been in the corporate world for a long time, worked in news organizations for a long time, and this is my first foray, I guess you could call it, into being an independent journalist. So sort of calling my own shots, doing my own thing, and it's been just very rewarding. And I think the most rewarding thing about it is to be in touch with just the folks who have taken the time to say, hey, I want to be a subscriber, whether it's free or paid. And it just makes you think, wow, okay. I guess people do care what I'm saying or what I'm writing or what I'm thinking, and it makes it a lot of fun.
[03:31]
Chris Best
That's awesome. Now that you've done this, do you ever get sort of fellow journalists or former colleagues asking you about it that are maybe thinking about taking the leap or just curious, and what do you tell them?
[03:44]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, no. I've heard from a number of people who have said, what are you doing over there? What is this thing? And how do I get started? I've heard from a number of people, not just journalists or TV people, but history professors that I've lured into this, former and current politicians that I've said, hey, you might want to think about looking at this. Not to give anybody any political advice, but this is pretty damn cool. And the reaction that I've been hearing from folks so far is that they are into it, too, that they really love the instant sort of connection with the viewer, with people out there. And, you know, it. It makes for a. Almost like a community experience that, you know, if you've been in media before, you just didn't experience. You know, when I was in a TV studio reading a teleprompter, I wasn't getting the hearts. I wasn't getting the comments, the questions and so on. And it does personalize things in a way that you just, you know, maybe didn't taken into consideration before.
[04:55]
Chris Best
That's awesome to hear.
[04:56]
Jim Acosta
Yeah.
[04:56]
Chris Best
The hearts are still streaming from the bottom of the screen. You have a big audience on here. This is exciting. This is thrilling for me, too.
[05:03]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, yeah, no, it's cool.
[05:04]
Chris Best
One thing I wanted to ask you about is I've Seen you go live from some unexpected places, I think. An airport, maybe. Like, what's that like, what's it like to just be able to go sort of like from anywhere? You're in a hotel room right now.
[05:20]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, you know, I'm in a hotel room right now. I've done several hotel room live shots. I packed the ring light in the suitcase and the mic in my work bag. And you hope everything fits and nothing breaks. But, you know, it's funny that you mentioned the airport thing. The airport thing was because I believe the Associated Press decided to file a lawsuit to challenge the Trump administration, keeping them out of the Oval Office, banning them from the Oval Office and Air Force One. And I just thought, you know what? I want to just do something right here, right now. Let's do it. Let's talk about this thing. And I was reading through the lawsuit and saying, you know, look at this. You know, they're talking about this case over here and this aspect of the matter over there. And it just sort of felt like, you know, an instant way to get the news out there. And I think, you know, I don't want to say what I think substack should be or anything like that, but in many ways it is kind of. It is. Does have the potential to be a live news platform where you can have journalists on here saying, wow, something just broke. This is important. This is, you know, it's happening right now. Let's get into this. You know, there was a. There was a show I did a couple of weeks ago where a friend of mine, Lauren Windsor, who is a documentary filmmaker, she was at one of these rallies, these anti Doge rallies, this one was down in North Carolina. And I said, you know what? Why don't you just do it like a live report on my substack podcast? And we got her on, and, you know, the cell service wasn't so great because there were so many people at this darn thing, but you could hear what she was saying. She was panning the camera around, showing what was going on, and it was almost like having a live reporter on the scene. So. And I thought to myself, you know, I should try to do this more often. So it just speaks to how the possibilities are sort of limitless.
[07:14]
Chris Best
That's very cool. That's sort of what we'd hoped with this feature is if we make it as simple as possible to just turn on the phone whenever you need to. It's not just about, oh, now I don't need to have a whole studio. But it just when you lower the barrier, it means that you can do that thing in the moment. Something is happening, something's going on, you want to talk to people, it's there. And by the way, the recording is there later. If people are there to tune in live, that's great. And then if they open their phone, you know, a few hours later, you can get clips, you can get the recording. It kind of magically turns into a sort of a podcast. It's a new. Hopefully it's a new format, and I think you're. You're one of the pioneers of it. You know, you're using everything. Your chat is popping off. I think when Duke Acosta makes an appearance, you're getting subscribers.
[07:57]
Jim Acosta
I've heard Duke is a big draw. I hope there isn't anybody at home who minds me exploiting my cute beagle, you know, to lure in new subscribers, new viewers. Yeah, no, he. It's funny, you know, he'll. There's no rhyme or reason. It's like dealing with children and pets. There are days when I'm like, I'm going to bring Duke into this and, you know, I'm going to, you know, get him on the show and have him jump in my lap and all this stuff, and he's just sitting off on the sofa like, yeah, I don't want anything to do with you. And then there are the days when I'm, like, interviewing Hakeem Jeffries and my dog is bringing me a toy every five seconds to throw to, and I'm like, under the table. I'm asking Hakeem Jeffries very important questions that I'm throwing Duke as toy at the same time, hoping that, you know, you can't tell what I'm doing on camera. So it does. It does make it fun.
[08:45]
Chris Best
Do you find that. That the ability to do it so quickly and the. The degree to which there's a certain casual or, like, authentic piece of it. Does it change the kind of work you do? Does it change. Does it make you do stories or do pieces you otherwise wouldn't have done?
[09:02]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, and I think it also sort of wants to pull the authenticity out of you, pull the kind of real you out of you. You know, I hadn't really dropped an F bomb before, you know, doing substack, and there are days when you just want to say it, you know, and you just like, I'm just going to say it. Not gonna say right now, but did.
[09:23]
Chris Best
Say shit once on the stream already. That was terrible.
[09:26]
Jim Acosta
We can say shit. We can say that you Know, God damn it, we'll say whatever the hell we want. No, but honestly, you know, people are craving this right now. And not to get political or get into the news or anything like that, but there are a lot of folks out there who are freaked out. They're despondent, they're stressed, they're depressed. And the way folks can come on this platform and just tell it like it is, or at least the way they think it is and just let it fly and let the chips fall where they may not. Be irresponsible or anything like that. Be respectful, be professional as much as you can, but just honestly tell people what you think and what you believe to be happening right now, why it's so darn important. I think people want that right now. And they're kind of. They're like, get out of the studio with the hairspray and the makeup and the can bits and the teleprompters and all that stuff, and just. Just talk to me. Just tell me what's going on. And I do think people are responding to that. And you have a whole host of people here on Substack who just do an amazing job at that. I was. I saw. The other day, I saw Mike Fanone. My buddy Mike was doing a. A substack live from his hot tub, I believe it was. And I don't know, you can go back and watch this, but he's, like, talking to the camera, and there's all these bubbles going off around him. And Mike's got a lot of tattoos, and so he's all tatted up. It's all like. He's got some amazing. I mean, he's got some amazing tattoos. I have to say. I'm just not. I. I wish I had that. That manliness to be able to pull that off, but he pulls it off, and it was just hysterical. And I had to pull him on my show the next day because I was like, you know, God damn it. That was just absolutely hysterical. But it got my attention. I was like, that's. That's what this thing is all about here. You know, you just be who you are.
[11:15]
Chris Best
That's fantastic. You know, you mentioned. You mentioned having some of the amazing guests you've had. One thing that I. Journalists that have come to Substack, especially when they've come from sort of like the apex of traditional media, they've had been at big mastheads, big important brands, One of the things they worry about is, am I going to lose access? Are people going to take my calls? Are people going to be my guest? Am I going to be able to still get in the room when I don't, you know, when I'm more independent, when I don't have the big name? How have you navigated that? Because you've been obviously extremely successful.
[11:51]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, you know, I built up a Rolodex over, over time, I guess you could say, doing my thing. And I've been relying on that to some extent. And I have found that not only can you get lawmakers and opinion leaders and those kinds of folks on this, on this show or on, on this platform, I had Pete Buttigieg on the other day. I think to some extent they want to come on. And you know, Trump, you know, you can say whatever you want about him. One of the things that he did to some success during the 2024 campaign is he went out and he found these, his campaign found all these independent media platforms to go on podcasts, you name it. And he, and he managed to exploit that to a pretty successful degree. And what you're seeing on the Democratic side, and I've talked to a number of lawmakers about this and their staffs, they're saying, hey, we want to get into the ball game too. And so I think you are going to see folks wanting to come on this platform to reach a different kind of audience. And honestly, I shouldn't say a different kind of audience because some of the people in the audience are folks who have left corporate media, left traditional media, legacy media, whatever you want to call it, because of whatever misgiving or concern that they have. And they've come here and they've said, oh, you know what? I can find reputable, reliable people are sure it's not lit the same or it doesn't sound the same, or we're.
[13:15]
Chris Best
Working on it, we're going to make all that better.
[13:17]
Jim Acosta
The signal. Well, and I didn't put any, I mean, I was up until one in the morning watching college basketball last night. I look a little, a little crazy, a little fry today, but I think people don't care. They don't give a shit about that. They just want to talk. They just want you give them the news, give them information, give them your opinions, give them your thoughts, talk to people that are important and have important things to say. And it's just a different way of getting information. And I think that's why it's thriving.
[13:45]
Chris Best
I think that's true. There's an abundance of content, there's more things that you could ever watch and read. And now there's AI That'll make a million studio Ghibli memes overnight. And I think, as you have that just everything, all the time, it just makes people even hungrier for human connection, for connection to a voice they trust. And I just think it's incredible what you've been doing on the platform. It's making us excited about this thing that we're building. It's really motivating to the people here.
[14:18]
Jim Acosta
That's wonderful.
[14:19]
Chris Best
Thank you for doing it. Is there anything. Do you have any feedback for us or any thoughts, ideas for Substack? I'd love to hear anything that's on your mind.
[14:29]
Jim Acosta
Gosh, you know, I really don't. I think that, you know, this has been absolutely a fantastic experience. I have been blown away by. I mean, first of all, you have some amazing tech people who are working behind the scenes to make all of this happen. The fact that I can. That you and I can be on this program, and then we could hit a little button and say, oh, let's add somebody else into the discussion. Or. Okay, thanks for coming on. Thanks for joining us. And I can X out of this particular interview with this guest and bring somebody else in. It's absolutely fantastic. And so I think over time, I'm sure you guys will figure out all the bells and whistles that you want to add. I've worked at other news organizations over the years that have built their platforms up. And you add bells and whistles over time. I mean, I guess if there's one thing that pops into my head, I've heard from a number of folks, hey, is there any way I could do this on my laptop? And I'm sure you guys are probably behind the scenes. Yes, Jim, we're working on that right now. Let me go. Let me drink another latte and go back to work. So, you know, but to me, the phone thing is the way of doing it through your phone makes it kind of more accessible and more fun. I wouldn't. I might not have been able to do the airport live reading of the AP lawsuit if I had a laptop in front of me. And I was trying to look at my laptop while doing. I mean, the phone helps, but I've heard from a number of folks that, okay, well, you know, can I do it that way? So I assume over time that'll roll out, you know, and that'll be available to folks, too. But honestly, I think that this has been a tremendous experience for me. Totally unexpected. Didn't think it was going to happen. Just sort of blown away. By how it's all come together. And like I said before, the way people have responded and wanted to be a part of the discussion, it kind of democratizes. I talked about this in my program the other day, sort of democratizing the national conversation, the global conversation that we're having right now, to me, is perhaps the most gratifying part of this.
[16:33]
Chris Best
Fantastic. Well, thank you for taking the time to talk. Thank you for using substack.
[16:38]
Jim Acosta
You bet.
[16:38]
Chris Best
Thank you, everyone. Tuning in, subscribing, throwing the hearts. You're, you know, you're the power that makes all this work. I really appreciate it.
[16:48]
Jim Acosta
You got it. Take care, Chris. Congrats.
[16:51]
Chris Best
Thank you.

Summary5 min read

Podcast Summary: The Jim Acosta Show – Jim Acosta's Transition to Substack

Episode Details:

Title: The Jim Acosta Show
Host: Jim Acosta
Guest: Chris Best, Co-founder and CEO of Substack
Episode Title: Jim Acosta and Substack's Chris Best discuss Jim's move to Substack
Release Date: March 28, 2025

Introduction

In this engaging episode of The Jim Acosta Show, Jim Acosta sits down with Chris Best, the co-founder and CEO of Substack, to discuss his recent transition from traditional media to building a thriving independent media empire on Substack. The conversation delves into the motivations behind his move, the benefits of using Substack, and the broader implications for journalism and media.

Jim's Journey to Substack

Starting with Substack: Jim Acosta shares the unexpected nature of his move to Substack, highlighting the role of Catherine Valentine in initiating the transition.

Jim Acosta [00:47]: “The wonderful Catherine Valentine there at Substack, she reached out to me and said, hey, Jim, do you want to try this thing that we're doing over here? I said, yeah, sure, why not.”

Initially viewing Substack as a platform primarily for writers and print journalists, Jim was pleasantly surprised by its versatility, especially its podcasting capabilities.

Embracing the Platform: Jim quickly became enamored with Substack's features, likening it to turning his phone into a TV studio with interactive elements.

Jim Acosta [01:00]: “You get the instant response from the viewers, from the people who are tuning in and giving you their comments. And so sometimes I'll be interviewing a lawmaker or an opinion leader or somebody like that, and somebody will make a point or ask a question, and I'll think, oh, yeah, why didn't I think of that?”

Technical Setup and Initial Challenges

Starting with Minimal Gear: Jim candidly discusses his humble beginnings on Substack, starting solely with his phone before upgrading to a better setup.

Jim Acosta [02:20]: “I had not. I had, like, an old work laptop. I had an old work phone. Got rid of those, got a new iPhone. I tried to get the one with best camera I could possibly find.”

His commitment to maintaining a professional appearance led him to invest in better equipment, enhancing the quality of his broadcasts.

Balancing Professionalism and Authenticity: Transitioning from corporate media to independent journalism allowed Jim to experiment with his presentation style, focusing more on content than appearance.

Jim Acosta [02:50]: “I've been in the corporate world for a long time, worked in news organizations for a long time, and this is my first foray... it's been just very rewarding.”

Engagement and Community Building

Immediate Audience Interaction: One of the standout features Jim praises is the real-time engagement with his audience, fostering a sense of community that traditional media often lacks.

Jim Acosta [02:05]: “It makes you think, wow, okay. I guess people do care what I'm saying or what I'm writing or what I'm thinking, and it makes it a lot of fun.”

Encouraging Others to Join: Jim actively promotes Substack to fellow journalists, educators, and politicians, emphasizing the platform's potential to create authentic connections with audiences.

Jim Acosta [03:43]: “If you've been in media before, you just didn't experience... it does personalize things in a way that you just, you know, maybe didn't take into consideration before.”

Flexibility and Spontaneity in Reporting

Live Reporting from Anywhere: Jim highlights the freedom Substack provides to report live from unexpected locations, enhancing the immediacy and relevance of his content.

Jim Acosta [05:20]: “I think, you know, I don't want to say what I think substack should be or anything like that, but in many ways it is kind of. It does have the potential to be a live news platform...”

He shares anecdotes of live reports from airports and rallies, demonstrating Substack's versatility.

Integrating Personal Elements: Jim incorporates personal touches, such as featuring his dog Duke on the show, which adds authenticity and relatability to his broadcasts.

Jim Acosta [07:56]: “He'll just sit off on the sofa like, yeah, I don't want anything to do with you... It does make it fun.”

Content Authenticity and Audience Trust

Raw and Unfiltered Communication: Substack's platform allows Jim to convey his true self, moving away from the polished presentations typical of traditional media.

Jim Acosta [09:01]: “I had not really dropped an F bomb before, you know, doing substack... People want that right now.”

Addressing Audience Needs: Jim emphasizes the audience's desire for honest, straightforward communication without the distractions of studio setups.

Jim Acosta [09:23]: “People are craving this right now... Just talk to me. Just tell me what's going on.”

Navigating the Independent Media Landscape

Maintaining Access and Relevance: Despite moving away from traditional media, Jim leverages his established network to secure high-profile guests, ensuring his platform remains influential.

Jim Acosta [11:51]: “I built up a Rolodex over time... I had Pete Buttigieg on the other day.”

Adapting to New Media Trends: Jim observes how political figures like Trump have effectively used independent media platforms, influencing others to follow suit.

Jim Acosta [13:14]: “Their staffs, they're saying, hey, we want to get into the ball game too.”

Future Prospects and Feedback

Continuous Improvement: Jim acknowledges Substack's ongoing development, appreciating the technical innovations that enhance user experience.

Jim Acosta [14:19]: “I think that, you know, this has been absolutely a fantastic experience... The phone thing is the way of doing it through your phone makes it kind of more accessible and more fun.”

Vision for Democratizing Conversation: He envisions Substack as a platform that democratizes national and global conversations, making information more accessible and interactive.

Jim Acosta [16:32]: “It kind of democratizes... the national conversation, the global conversation that we're having right now... is perhaps the most gratifying part of this.”

Conclusion

Jim Acosta's transition to Substack exemplifies the evolving landscape of independent media. By leveraging Substack's versatile platform, Jim has been able to maintain authentic connections with his audience, experiment with live reporting, and continue engaging with high-profile guests. His insights underscore the importance of adaptability and genuine communication in today's media environment.

Notable Quotes:

Jim Acosta [00:47]: “The wonderful Catherine Valentine there at Substack... I said, yeah, sure, why not.”
Jim Acosta [02:05]: “It makes you think, wow, okay. I guess people do care what I'm saying...”
Jim Acosta [05:20]: “It does have the potential to be a live news platform...”
Jim Acosta [09:01]: “I had not really dropped an F bomb before, you know, doing substack...”
Jim Acosta [11:51]: “I built up a Rolodex over time... I had Pete Buttigieg on the other day.”
Jim Acosta [16:32]: “It kind of democratizes... the national conversation, the global conversation...”

This comprehensive summary captures the essence of Jim Acosta's discussion with Chris Best, highlighting the key themes of independence, authenticity, audience engagement, and the future of media on Substack.

Loading summary

Transcript35 lines

[00:01]
Chris Best
Let's get started.
[00:02]
Jim Acosta
Sure.
[00:02]
Chris Best
Hi, I'm Chris Best. I'm the co founder and CEO of Substack, and I'm here today with Jim Acosta, who is a veteran journalist and former CNN anchor turned wildly successful substacker. Jim, thank you for being here.
[00:19]
Jim Acosta
Hey, you're welcome. And thanks for the compliment.
[00:23]
Chris Best
I wanted to ask you, you know, a few years ago, people knew Substack primarily as a place for writers and print journalists. And you're a journalist, but you're also a TV star. And you didn't know what Substack was a few weeks ago. And today you're sort of running this thriving independent media empire. Just how did that happen?
[00:47]
Jim Acosta
Gosh, it's a good question. I have no idea. No, it's funny. The wonderful Catherine Valentine there at Substack, she reached out to me and said, hey, Jim, do you want to try this thing that we're doing over here? I said, yeah, sure, why not? And to your point, I had the same thought about Substack. I thought it was a terrific app. I thought it was primarily a place where people would share their writing, their journalism, had a lot of respect for it and so on, but didn't realize it was this kind of big podcasting platform or potentially big podcasting platform. And as soon as I started doing it, I was hooked. I was really kind of addicted right away because in addition to having the ability to sort of turn your phone into a TV studio and bring in, as I call them, my friends and family to come on my show, you get the instant response from the viewers, from the people who are tuning in and giving you their comments. And so sometimes I'll be interviewing a lawmaker or an opinion leader or somebody like that, and somebody will make a point or ask a question, and I'll think, oh, yeah, why didn't I think of that? That's a good question. And then I' ask that question. So it's a fun platform. It's got a lot going for it, and, yeah, I'm hooked.
[02:06]
Chris Best
That's awesome. And if you're watching this on the recording, you can't see all of the hearts streaming from the bottom as he talks about the viewers joining in. Yeah. Is it true that you started the whole thing strictly from your phone? You didn't have a computer at the moment and had it just going?
[02:20]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, I had not. I had, like, an old work laptop. I had an old work phone. Got rid of those, got a new iPhone. I tried to get the one with best camera I could possibly find. Because I thought, well, okay, I'm a TV guy. I want this to sort of look good. And since then, I've gotten a little bit better about not worrying about my hair and that kind of shit or what I'm wearing. And I went out and got a laptop, too, and so it's been a lot of fun. I've been in the corporate world for a long time, worked in news organizations for a long time, and this is my first foray, I guess you could call it, into being an independent journalist. So sort of calling my own shots, doing my own thing, and it's been just very rewarding. And I think the most rewarding thing about it is to be in touch with just the folks who have taken the time to say, hey, I want to be a subscriber, whether it's free or paid. And it just makes you think, wow, okay. I guess people do care what I'm saying or what I'm writing or what I'm thinking, and it makes it a lot of fun.
[03:31]
Chris Best
That's awesome. Now that you've done this, do you ever get sort of fellow journalists or former colleagues asking you about it that are maybe thinking about taking the leap or just curious, and what do you tell them?
[03:44]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, no. I've heard from a number of people who have said, what are you doing over there? What is this thing? And how do I get started? I've heard from a number of people, not just journalists or TV people, but history professors that I've lured into this, former and current politicians that I've said, hey, you might want to think about looking at this. Not to give anybody any political advice, but this is pretty damn cool. And the reaction that I've been hearing from folks so far is that they are into it, too, that they really love the instant sort of connection with the viewer, with people out there. And, you know, it. It makes for a. Almost like a community experience that, you know, if you've been in media before, you just didn't experience. You know, when I was in a TV studio reading a teleprompter, I wasn't getting the hearts. I wasn't getting the comments, the questions and so on. And it does personalize things in a way that you just, you know, maybe didn't taken into consideration before.
[04:55]
Chris Best
That's awesome to hear.
[04:56]
Jim Acosta
Yeah.
[04:56]
Chris Best
The hearts are still streaming from the bottom of the screen. You have a big audience on here. This is exciting. This is thrilling for me, too.
[05:03]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, yeah, no, it's cool.
[05:04]
Chris Best
One thing I wanted to ask you about is I've Seen you go live from some unexpected places, I think. An airport, maybe. Like, what's that like, what's it like to just be able to go sort of like from anywhere? You're in a hotel room right now.
[05:20]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, you know, I'm in a hotel room right now. I've done several hotel room live shots. I packed the ring light in the suitcase and the mic in my work bag. And you hope everything fits and nothing breaks. But, you know, it's funny that you mentioned the airport thing. The airport thing was because I believe the Associated Press decided to file a lawsuit to challenge the Trump administration, keeping them out of the Oval Office, banning them from the Oval Office and Air Force One. And I just thought, you know what? I want to just do something right here, right now. Let's do it. Let's talk about this thing. And I was reading through the lawsuit and saying, you know, look at this. You know, they're talking about this case over here and this aspect of the matter over there. And it just sort of felt like, you know, an instant way to get the news out there. And I think, you know, I don't want to say what I think substack should be or anything like that, but in many ways it is kind of. It is. Does have the potential to be a live news platform where you can have journalists on here saying, wow, something just broke. This is important. This is, you know, it's happening right now. Let's get into this. You know, there was a. There was a show I did a couple of weeks ago where a friend of mine, Lauren Windsor, who is a documentary filmmaker, she was at one of these rallies, these anti Doge rallies, this one was down in North Carolina. And I said, you know what? Why don't you just do it like a live report on my substack podcast? And we got her on, and, you know, the cell service wasn't so great because there were so many people at this darn thing, but you could hear what she was saying. She was panning the camera around, showing what was going on, and it was almost like having a live reporter on the scene. So. And I thought to myself, you know, I should try to do this more often. So it just speaks to how the possibilities are sort of limitless.
[07:14]
Chris Best
That's very cool. That's sort of what we'd hoped with this feature is if we make it as simple as possible to just turn on the phone whenever you need to. It's not just about, oh, now I don't need to have a whole studio. But it just when you lower the barrier, it means that you can do that thing in the moment. Something is happening, something's going on, you want to talk to people, it's there. And by the way, the recording is there later. If people are there to tune in live, that's great. And then if they open their phone, you know, a few hours later, you can get clips, you can get the recording. It kind of magically turns into a sort of a podcast. It's a new. Hopefully it's a new format, and I think you're. You're one of the pioneers of it. You know, you're using everything. Your chat is popping off. I think when Duke Acosta makes an appearance, you're getting subscribers.
[07:57]
Jim Acosta
I've heard Duke is a big draw. I hope there isn't anybody at home who minds me exploiting my cute beagle, you know, to lure in new subscribers, new viewers. Yeah, no, he. It's funny, you know, he'll. There's no rhyme or reason. It's like dealing with children and pets. There are days when I'm like, I'm going to bring Duke into this and, you know, I'm going to, you know, get him on the show and have him jump in my lap and all this stuff, and he's just sitting off on the sofa like, yeah, I don't want anything to do with you. And then there are the days when I'm, like, interviewing Hakeem Jeffries and my dog is bringing me a toy every five seconds to throw to, and I'm like, under the table. I'm asking Hakeem Jeffries very important questions that I'm throwing Duke as toy at the same time, hoping that, you know, you can't tell what I'm doing on camera. So it does. It does make it fun.
[08:45]
Chris Best
Do you find that. That the ability to do it so quickly and the. The degree to which there's a certain casual or, like, authentic piece of it. Does it change the kind of work you do? Does it change. Does it make you do stories or do pieces you otherwise wouldn't have done?
[09:02]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, and I think it also sort of wants to pull the authenticity out of you, pull the kind of real you out of you. You know, I hadn't really dropped an F bomb before, you know, doing substack, and there are days when you just want to say it, you know, and you just like, I'm just going to say it. Not gonna say right now, but did.
[09:23]
Chris Best
Say shit once on the stream already. That was terrible.
[09:26]
Jim Acosta
We can say shit. We can say that you Know, God damn it, we'll say whatever the hell we want. No, but honestly, you know, people are craving this right now. And not to get political or get into the news or anything like that, but there are a lot of folks out there who are freaked out. They're despondent, they're stressed, they're depressed. And the way folks can come on this platform and just tell it like it is, or at least the way they think it is and just let it fly and let the chips fall where they may not. Be irresponsible or anything like that. Be respectful, be professional as much as you can, but just honestly tell people what you think and what you believe to be happening right now, why it's so darn important. I think people want that right now. And they're kind of. They're like, get out of the studio with the hairspray and the makeup and the can bits and the teleprompters and all that stuff, and just. Just talk to me. Just tell me what's going on. And I do think people are responding to that. And you have a whole host of people here on Substack who just do an amazing job at that. I was. I saw. The other day, I saw Mike Fanone. My buddy Mike was doing a. A substack live from his hot tub, I believe it was. And I don't know, you can go back and watch this, but he's, like, talking to the camera, and there's all these bubbles going off around him. And Mike's got a lot of tattoos, and so he's all tatted up. It's all like. He's got some amazing. I mean, he's got some amazing tattoos. I have to say. I'm just not. I. I wish I had that. That manliness to be able to pull that off, but he pulls it off, and it was just hysterical. And I had to pull him on my show the next day because I was like, you know, God damn it. That was just absolutely hysterical. But it got my attention. I was like, that's. That's what this thing is all about here. You know, you just be who you are.
[11:15]
Chris Best
That's fantastic. You know, you mentioned. You mentioned having some of the amazing guests you've had. One thing that I. Journalists that have come to Substack, especially when they've come from sort of like the apex of traditional media, they've had been at big mastheads, big important brands, One of the things they worry about is, am I going to lose access? Are people going to take my calls? Are people going to be my guest? Am I going to be able to still get in the room when I don't, you know, when I'm more independent, when I don't have the big name? How have you navigated that? Because you've been obviously extremely successful.
[11:51]
Jim Acosta
Yeah, you know, I built up a Rolodex over, over time, I guess you could say, doing my thing. And I've been relying on that to some extent. And I have found that not only can you get lawmakers and opinion leaders and those kinds of folks on this, on this show or on, on this platform, I had Pete Buttigieg on the other day. I think to some extent they want to come on. And you know, Trump, you know, you can say whatever you want about him. One of the things that he did to some success during the 2024 campaign is he went out and he found these, his campaign found all these independent media platforms to go on podcasts, you name it. And he, and he managed to exploit that to a pretty successful degree. And what you're seeing on the Democratic side, and I've talked to a number of lawmakers about this and their staffs, they're saying, hey, we want to get into the ball game too. And so I think you are going to see folks wanting to come on this platform to reach a different kind of audience. And honestly, I shouldn't say a different kind of audience because some of the people in the audience are folks who have left corporate media, left traditional media, legacy media, whatever you want to call it, because of whatever misgiving or concern that they have. And they've come here and they've said, oh, you know what? I can find reputable, reliable people are sure it's not lit the same or it doesn't sound the same, or we're.
[13:15]
Chris Best
Working on it, we're going to make all that better.
[13:17]
Jim Acosta
The signal. Well, and I didn't put any, I mean, I was up until one in the morning watching college basketball last night. I look a little, a little crazy, a little fry today, but I think people don't care. They don't give a shit about that. They just want to talk. They just want you give them the news, give them information, give them your opinions, give them your thoughts, talk to people that are important and have important things to say. And it's just a different way of getting information. And I think that's why it's thriving.
[13:45]
Chris Best
I think that's true. There's an abundance of content, there's more things that you could ever watch and read. And now there's AI That'll make a million studio Ghibli memes overnight. And I think, as you have that just everything, all the time, it just makes people even hungrier for human connection, for connection to a voice they trust. And I just think it's incredible what you've been doing on the platform. It's making us excited about this thing that we're building. It's really motivating to the people here.
[14:18]
Jim Acosta
That's wonderful.
[14:19]
Chris Best
Thank you for doing it. Is there anything. Do you have any feedback for us or any thoughts, ideas for Substack? I'd love to hear anything that's on your mind.
[14:29]
Jim Acosta
Gosh, you know, I really don't. I think that, you know, this has been absolutely a fantastic experience. I have been blown away by. I mean, first of all, you have some amazing tech people who are working behind the scenes to make all of this happen. The fact that I can. That you and I can be on this program, and then we could hit a little button and say, oh, let's add somebody else into the discussion. Or. Okay, thanks for coming on. Thanks for joining us. And I can X out of this particular interview with this guest and bring somebody else in. It's absolutely fantastic. And so I think over time, I'm sure you guys will figure out all the bells and whistles that you want to add. I've worked at other news organizations over the years that have built their platforms up. And you add bells and whistles over time. I mean, I guess if there's one thing that pops into my head, I've heard from a number of folks, hey, is there any way I could do this on my laptop? And I'm sure you guys are probably behind the scenes. Yes, Jim, we're working on that right now. Let me go. Let me drink another latte and go back to work. So, you know, but to me, the phone thing is the way of doing it through your phone makes it kind of more accessible and more fun. I wouldn't. I might not have been able to do the airport live reading of the AP lawsuit if I had a laptop in front of me. And I was trying to look at my laptop while doing. I mean, the phone helps, but I've heard from a number of folks that, okay, well, you know, can I do it that way? So I assume over time that'll roll out, you know, and that'll be available to folks, too. But honestly, I think that this has been a tremendous experience for me. Totally unexpected. Didn't think it was going to happen. Just sort of blown away. By how it's all come together. And like I said before, the way people have responded and wanted to be a part of the discussion, it kind of democratizes. I talked about this in my program the other day, sort of democratizing the national conversation, the global conversation that we're having right now, to me, is perhaps the most gratifying part of this.
[16:33]
Chris Best
Fantastic. Well, thank you for taking the time to talk. Thank you for using substack.
[16:38]
Jim Acosta
You bet.
[16:38]
Chris Best
Thank you, everyone. Tuning in, subscribing, throwing the hearts. You're, you know, you're the power that makes all this work. I really appreciate it.
[16:48]
Jim Acosta
You got it. Take care, Chris. Congrats.
[16:51]
Chris Best
Thank you.