The Vergecast The Vergecast Vergecast, 2026 edition
193 snips
Apr 21, 2026 
Helen Havlak, publisher at The Verge focused on media business, joins a lively chat about subscriptions, ads, audience strategy, and why the old web model is fading. They also get into video vs. audio podcasts, younger readers, open social platforms, unsustainable old video ambitions, and yes, Nilay’s jackets.
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Why The Verge Rejects The Most Lucrative Ads
- Nilay Patel said The Verge keeps inventing new ad products because the most lucrative creator-style ad format would compromise its journalism.
- Helen Havlak framed Hype Desk as a workaround: former journalists can do product-positive sponsored segments while the newsroom stays behind the firewall.
How The Verge Actually Makes Most Of Its Money
- The Verge still makes most of its money from advertising, while subscriptions are growing but have not yet overtaken ads.
- Havlak said the ad mix is shifting away from generic display toward direct, integrated deals like quick post ads, branded content, and events.
Why Video Podcasts Are About Discovery Not Revenue
- Helen Havlak said audio remains the stronger podcast business, but video matters because YouTube solves discovery better than audio apps.
- She argued video podcasting is more about reaching new audiences than immediate monetization, since audio still brings in more revenue today.
