Medium to Pay Writers Based on Reading Time, Not Likes

Medium, the blogging platform that encourages you to “get smarter about what matters to you,” knows that payment matters to its writers. Tuesday, the site announced a new method for calculating writer earnings that relies not on likes, but on time spent reading.

“Instead of paying based on claps as the main signal, we will now reward stories primarily based on reading time, which we’ve seen to be a closer measure of quality and resonance with readers,” the announcement said. “To increase transparency and provide richer insight to our writers, we will also introduce new stats so it’s more clear how a story’s earnings were calculated.”

(“Claps,” for the uninitiated, are similar to “likes.”)

Also Read: Medium CEO Outlines Publishing Platform's 'Aggressive' Content Moderation Policies

The announcement noted that since the 2017 launch of the Medium Partner Program, which was designed to fairly compensate writers, the site has paid out “more than $6 million to over 30,000 writers.”

With that model, there was “unlimited potential to earn” and payouts increased year over year.

As well as calculating earnings based on trading time of Medium members, the site will also include trading time from non-members. If a reader finds a writer’s story and subscribed to Medium within 30 days, that writer will earn for the reading time.

Also Read: Medium Launches $5 Per Month Membership Program

This change comes at a time of upheaval in digital media, where numerous other outlets are folding, merging, or restructuring in ways that leave writers out of work.

Writers reacted tepidly to the announcement. The Verge’s Casey Newton observed on Twitter, “Medium’s payment scheme for writers is still opaque and bad, but at least it’s no longer based on how many times readers clicked a ‘clap’ emoji.”

Martin Bryant, founder of Big Revolution media constancy group, was measured, too, but wrote, “This could be good.”

The Scene at TheGrill 2019: Pamela Adlon, Tony Hale, and More at TheWrap's Media Leadership Conference (Photos)

Film producer Ryan Kavanaugh poses on TheGrill 2019 red carpet
Kendra Kabasele
Pamela Adlon and Tony Hale at the Spotlight on Comedy panel moderated by TheWrap's Tim Molloy
Kendra Kabasele
Actor Anthony Carrigan, Dave Rubin and Brie Miranda Bryant at the Innovators panel
Kendra Kabasele
TheWrap's Sharon Waxman poses with Pamela Adlon and Tony Hale
Kendra Kabasele
Guests chat at a breakfast hosted by OpusBank
Kendra Kabasele
TheGrill 2019 networking breakfast presented by OpusBank
Kendra Kabasele
Ryan Kavanaugh, CEO and founder of Proxima, and TheWrap's Sharon Waxman have a spotlight conversation to kick off TheGrill 2019.
Kendra Kabasele
Ryan Kavanaugh
Lionsgate vice chairman Michael Burns and Hello Sunshine CEO Sarah Harden speak at M&A: Exits, Outcomes and Successes
Kendra Kabasele
Pamela Adlon poses for the camera
Kendra Kabasele
Jason Rapp moderates M&A: Exits, Outcomes and Successes panel discussion with Lionsgate's Michael Burns and Hello Sunshine's Sarah Harden
Kendra Kabasele
Founder and co-CEO of Propagate Content, Howard Owens, poses on TheGrill 2019 red carpet
Kendra Kabasele
Onlookers at the M&A: Exits, Outcomes and Successes panel with Michael Burns and Sarah Harden, moderated by Jason Rapp
Kendra Kabasele
M&A: Exits, Outcomes and Successes panel
Kendra Kabasele
(L-R) Benji Lanpher, Crofton Diack, David Reichert, Guillermo Navarro, Jimmy Chin, Shannon Dill and TheWrap's Steve Pond at Daring Nature: Documenting Extremes presented by National Geographic
Kendra Kabasele
"Free Solo" director Jimmy Chin speaks at Daring Nature: Documenting Extremes presented by National Geographic
Kendra Kabasele
The crowd listening to the Nat Geo panel
Kendra Kabasele
Shannon Dill at Nat Geo's panel
Kendra Kabasele
Guillermo Navarro at the Daring Nature: Documenting Extremes presented by NatGeo panel
Kendra Kabasele
Benji Lanpher and Crofton Diack of "Life Below Zero" speak at Daring Nature: Documenting Extremes presented by National Geographic
Kendra Kabasele
Onlookers at Daring Nature: Documenting Extremes presented by National Geographic
Kendra Kabasele
A participant makes a point at the Producer's Roundtable
Kendra Kabasele
Howard Owens chats with guests at the Producers Roundtable presented by Delta Airlines
Kendra Kabasele
Producers' Rountable at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
"Black Love" executive producer Tommy Oliver and "Surviving R. Kelly" co-producer Brie Miranda Bryant at the Diversity Strong: Tearing Down Bias, Building Inclusivity Roundtable
Kendra Kabasele
Lunch is just on the other side of this tunnel of light!
Kendra Kabasele
A choice of ice cold lemonade or tea with lunch at the London West Hollywood hotel
Kendra Kabasele
Guests chatting under an umbrella at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
TheWrap's Claude Memmi at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
Guests gather to chat at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
TheWrap magazines on a table at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
Devin Johnson (far left) president of UNINTERRUPTED, and other participants listen to the Diversity Strong: Tearing Down Bias, Building Inclusivity Roundtable
Kendra Kabasele
Sharon Waxman chats with "Black Love" creator and executive producer Tommy Oliver
Kendra Kabasele
Pamela Adlon and Tony Hale lead the Spotlight on Comedy
Kendra Kabasele
(L-R) Raina Kumra, Jeff Berman and Amy Emmerich at the Silicon Beach Roundtable
Kendra Kabasele
Brie Miranda Bryant, senior vice president of Unscripted Development and Programming at Lifetime and co-producer of "Surviving R. Kelly," networking with guests
Kendra Kabasele
Sharon Waxman chats with "Sorry to Bother You" producer Nina Yang Bongiovi
Kendra Kabasele
(L-R) Adam Lewinson, Bruce Perlmutter, Shelley Zimmerman and TheWrap's Sean Burch at the Streaming Steps Up panel presented by Tubi
Kendra Kabasele
Adam Lewinson, chief content officer of Tubi, makes a point
Kendra Kabasele
Guests at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
Attendees at lunch at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
Guests at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
Anthony Carrigan, Dave Rubin and Brie Miranda Bryant at the Innovators panel moderated by TheWrap's Sharon Waxman
Kendra Kabasele
Flowers on a table at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
Dave Rubin mingles after the Innovators panel
Kendra Kabasele
Conversations being had at the diversity roundtable
Kendra Kabasele
Anthony Carrigan and Dave Rubin pose together after the Innovator's panel
Kendra Kabasele
Bruce Perlmutter makes a point during the Streaming Steps Up panel presented by Tubi
Kendra Kabasele
Onlookers at the Spotlight on Comedy panel with Pamela Adlon and Tony Hale, moderated by TheWrap's Tim Molloy
Kendra Kabasele
Onlookers at the Silicon Beach panel
Kendra Kabasele
Actress Sydney Park (center) tells a story during the diversity roundtable
Kendra Kabasele
Howard Owens speaking at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
An onlooker listening intently to the Innovator's Panel
Kendra Kabasele
Guests mingle at the close of TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele
TheWrap CEO Sharon Waxman addresses guests at the opening dinner
Kendra Kabasele
David Reichert, director of photography on Nat Geo's "Hostile Planet"
Kendra Kabasele
TheWrap's CEO Sharon Waxman speaks at TheGrill 2019 opening dinner
Kendra Kabasele
Guests sitting at the table for TheGrill 2019 opening dinner
Kendra Kabasele
Closing cocktail party at TheGrill 2019
Kendra Kabasele