What If Your Runway Is Weeks, Not Months? with Olivia Messer

What If Your Runway Is Weeks, Not Months? with Olivia Messer

From Past Due with Ana Marie Cox and Open Mike Eagle by Ana Marie Cox and Open Mike Eagle

May 20, 2026 · 51 min

About this episode

Olivia Messer discusses the challenges and realities of running an independent Texas newsroom.

Olivia Messer, journalist, novelist, and editor-in-chief of The Barbed Wire, joins us to talk about what it actually looks like to run an independent Texas newsroom. We get into why virality and revenue have essentially no relationship to each other, what she learned sitting on the management side of a union negotiation for the first time, and what happens to your own creativity when every single day is a budget meeting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Hosts: Ana Marie Cox, Open Mike Eagle

Guest: Olivia Messer

Topics covered

  • independent journalism
  • Texas newsroom
  • union negotiation
  • creativity
  • budget management

Keywords

  • journalism
  • virality
  • revenue
  • union
  • creativity
  • budget

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Barbed Wire

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