Former MSNBC host builds fast-growing independent outlet with big-name contributors and ambitions beyond Substack.
Mehdi Hasan’s independent media platform Zeteo has generated more than $3.5 million in revenue in its first year, making it one of the fastest-growing ventures on Substack. The former MSNBC host launched the newsletter on April 15, 2024, and now claims a following of around 400,000 subscribers, including over 40,000 paid members.
Hasan told the Los Angeles Times that within four months of launch, Zeteo had already signed up 31,000 paying subscribers. Many now pay $500 annually, putting projected revenue between $3.3 million and $3.9 million. The growth has caught the attention of Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie, who called it “a new media company that was instantly successful, without institutional support.”
Zeteo – from the Greek word meaning “to seek out” – was conceived last year as Hasan prepared to leave MSNBC. It aims to sit between legacy journalism and more radical independent outlets, offering columns, podcasts, newsletters and a weekly video show hosted by Hasan. Its first documentary, Israel’s Reel Extremism, explored the Israel-Gaza conflict through the experiences of IDF soldiers.
The platform has also built a strong contributor base. Bassem Youssef, John Harwood, Fatima Bhutto and Greta Thunberg are among those regularly publishing under the Zeteo banner. “They are saying things as contributors that you won’t see elsewhere,” Hasan told the Los Angeles Times.
Its reach now extends well beyond email: Zeteo’s YouTube channel has 731,000 followers and is gaining more than 1,000 new subscribers daily, according to Hasan.
Despite the rapid success, Hasan acknowledged the challenges of running an outlet with a broad audience spanning progressive and centrist views. “We have the audience, we have the resources, and we have the ambitions to really pick what we want to do going forward,” he said, pointing to live events as a likely next step.
Hasan also continues to attract controversy. He recently faced criticism for a social media post about airplane crashes, which he later described as sarcastic. Commentators, including journalist Asra Nomani, accused him of insensitivity. The backlash underlines the scrutiny Hasan now faces as the public face of an increasingly influential media venture.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://zeteo.com – Corroborates the existence and purpose of Zeteo as a media organization founded by Mehdi Hasan, aimed at media accountability and unfiltered news.
- https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan – Supports Mehdi Hasan’s role as the founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief of Zeteo, highlighting its successful subscriber base on the Substack platform.
- https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfiltered – Provides details about ‘Mehdi Unfiltered,’ a weekly show part of Zeteo’s content offerings that contribute to its diverse news coverage.
- https://substack.com/home/post/p-161391229 – Celebrates the one-year anniversary of Zeteo’s launch, emphasizing its commitment to truth and independent journalism.
- https://podcasts.apple.com/us(channel)/zeteo/id6499279550 – Highlights Zeteo’s presence in podcasting, offering independent journalism through various programs like ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ and ‘Unshocked’.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative mentions specific events and timelines from 2024, indicating recent activity. However, no very recent updates were found, as the events described occurred last year.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Quotes are attributed to Mehdi Hasan, but specific original sources or earliest references could not be verified. The narrative lacks detailed background on the quotes’ origins.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The Daily Mail is a well-known publication, but its reliability can vary depending on the topic. No specific bias or unreliability was noted in this context.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about the newsletter’s growth and financial success are plausible given the context and provided details. However, specific figures and subscriber counts were not independently verified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
While the narrative appears generally plausible with recent timelines and quotes, the lack of independent verification for financial figures and subscriber counts prevents a definitive verdict. Additionally, the source reliability is moderate due to the publication’s mixed reputation.
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