Newsletters go live

Newsletters are starting to look more like live channels, with writers using Substack streams and subscriber Q&As alongside the email itself. (support.substack.com) Substack’s help pages now pitch live video as a built-in way to “break news,” host “interactive” question sessions, and run subscriber-only events from the app or a computer. The company also says writers can schedule streams in advance and restrict some live videos to paid subscribers. (support.substack.com 1) (support.substack.com 2) The product has expanded beyond phone-first broadcasts. Substack says creators can now go live from desktop, invite guests, and connect outside streaming software through Real-Time Messaging Protocol, or RTMP, using tools such as Streamyard. (support.substack.com 1) (support.substack.com 2) (support.substack.com 3) Substack’s own product pages now group newsletters, podcasts, video, live streams, chat, payments, and discovery tools into one publishing system. Its live-video showcase also features recurring programs, including cooking demos and guided meditations, scheduled like shows rather than one-off posts. (substack.com) (pages.substack.com) That shift is visible in how independent publishers are packaging their work. A post on Vlast’s publication promoted a Thursday live question-and-answer session, while World War Now describes “World War Live” as a weekly livestream hosted on Substack and replayed elsewhere. (vlast.is) (worldwarnow.co) World War Now’s own publication page says the show runs on Tuesday or Wednesday nights at 7:45 p.m. Central Time, and episode listings describe streams carried on Substack, YouTube, and X. A YouTube listing for episode 37 also calls it a weekly livestream tied back to the publication’s Substack. (worldwarnow.co) (podbean.com) (youtube.com) Substack has been framing the format as a bigger strategic push, not a side feature. In a December 2025 post, the company said writers, analysts, artists, chefs, and musicians used live video throughout 2025 to respond to events in real time and build more direct audience relationships. (on.substack.com) The result is a newsletter that does more than arrive in an inbox on schedule. It can send an email, open a chat thread, host a live show, clip the replay, and keep the audience inside the same subscription product. (substack.com) (support.substack.com)