DIRT

DIRT (dirt.fyi) operates as a digital media publication centered on the analysis of digital pop culture and entertainment. Founded in 2021 by Daisy Alioto and Kyle Chayka, the New York-based company has positioned itself as a source of insightful commentary on contemporary trends.

The founders bring a wealth of experience from the media and cultural criticism sectors. Daisy Alioto, the CEO of Dirt Media, has a background in audience development for prominent media companies like Time Inc., Condé Nast, and The New York Review of Books. Her work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. Kyle Chayka is a journalist, cultural critic, and staff writer for The New Yorker, known for his column on digital culture and for coining the term "AirSpace" to describe aesthetic homogenization. His writing often explores the intersection of technology, culture, and aesthetics.

Dirt's core product is a daily-ish newsletter that delivers short essays and criticism on subjects including streaming, TikTok, video games, and web3. The content aims to provide a thoughtful and intellectual perspective on internet culture. The platform has expanded to include five distinct brands: Dirt for entertainment, Blank for books and fiction, Prune for design and interiors, Strung for tennis, and Clone for tech and culture news aggregation. This multi-brand strategy allows for focused content delivery across different interest areas. The company also produces a podcast called "Tasteland" which discusses media, marketing, and technology.

The business model is multifaceted. Initially, the newsletter was partly funded by the sale of NFTs, which also granted holders access to a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), the DirtDAO, offering a form of community governance. In May 2022, the company secured $1.2 million in a seed funding round from investors including Collab+Currency and Flamingo DAO. Revenue is also generated through brand collaborations, with past partners including MUBI and Chantelle. They also have an online store selling merchandise like t-shirts and hats. DIRT operates on a hybrid model, offering free content alongside subscription-based access, where subscribers can mint an NFT to represent their annual subscription, which is required to access paywalled content. The company pays freelance contributors for essays, Q&As, and fiction, with standard rates starting at $0.50 per word.

Keywords: digital culture, entertainment newsletter, cultural criticism, media analysis, Daisy Alioto, Kyle Chayka, internet trends, pop culture commentary, streaming analysis, web3 media, newsletter business model, NFT funded media, DirtDAO, brand collaboration, digital publishing, new media, taste economy, online communities, content creation, media startup, book culture, design journalism, tech news aggregator