Welcome to our Wednesday long-form version of our irl Media NEWSLETTER. The only newsletter bringing you the business behind the news, with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

In today’s newsletter we discuss if the TikTok ban will be the end of content creators? (hint: probably not!), Ripple launches new RLUSD stablecoin, Kylie Kelce is taking the podcasting world by storm, Vanessa Hudgens buys a $7.5 million dollar Studio City farmhouse, and who knew the Vatican had their own cycling team?

• Sabrina Carpenter’s “A Nonsense Christmas” Is A Must See!

• Episode 55

• Could a TikTok ban could be the end of content creators?

• Ripple launches their RLUSD stablecoin

• Kylie Kelce’s “Not Gonna Lie” podcast is taking the world by storm

• Vanessa Hudgens buys $7.5 million dollar home

• Who knew the Vatican had their own cycling team?

Scroll on!

NOTES FROM THE EDITOR

Last week we introduced our first “Quick Hits” format newsletter, and it was a great success with a 38.47%, and we saw an uptick in revenue from ads we ran in that issue.

Not only was this issue successful in every metric we track, but it was also a lot of fun to write! Each week I sort through a few dozen links to stories I’d love to share, but then have to whittle it down to (5) topics to write on. With this new format that I’ll be sending out on Mondays and Fridays, I can write a long-form article on (1) topic I’m passionate about and still share other links and my own sarcastic headlines. That’s what I’m calling a win-win!

With this move, I’m boosting the number of newsletter issues I write and put out to (3) a week. It’s a lot more work, but TBH it feel incredible rewarding.

I don’t know what it is about me, but I simply lack the ability to sit around doing the same thing over and over (unless it’s avoiding doing the dishes, which my wifey can attest to). I need to be creating new thing, innovating, seeing what works and going with that, while killing whatever isn’t working - which I alluded to last week that 2025 will bring some tough decisions if I want to continue to grow irl Media NEWS, but more on that in the new year.

For now, I’m focusing on creating more content for our readers, and I hope you enjoy the new format and approach I’m adding to our already great newsletters!

YOUTUBE

Sabrina Carpenter’s "A Nonsense Christmas" On Netflix Is A Must See!

PODCAST

BUSINESS

Will The TikTok Ban Be The End Of Content Creators? Probably Not!

The possibility of a ban of TikTok in the United States hangs heavy in the air, threatening to deliver a crippling blow to the livelihoods of countless small businesses and content creators. Early estimates suggest a staggering loss of $1.3 billion in revenue in the very first month after a ban is implemented. This figure paints a bleak picture of the immediate financial fallout from a ban, but the long-term consequences could be even more profound. Read More

TikTok says ban would cost small businesses, creators $1.3 billion in first month

TECH

Ripple Launches RLUSD Stablecoin

The world of cryptocurrency payments took a significant step forward on December 17, 2024, with the official launch of Ripple’s highly anticipated stablecoin RLUSD. This marks a major step by Ripple, a leader in blockchain-based financial solutions, into the ever-growing stablecoin market, currently valued at over $203 billion. Read More

Ripple’s new stablecoin for payments will be available to trade Tuesday

ENTERTAINMENT

Kylie Kelce Is Taking The Podcasting World By Storm

Kylie Kelce has taken the podcasting world by storm with her refreshingly honest and relatable show, “Not Gonna Lie.” In a landscape dominated by established media giants and male voices, Kylie Kelce’s debut episode, featuring It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Kaitlin Olson, shot straight to #1 on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify. This meteoric rise has not only garnered her a massive audience but also secured a major sponsorship with Dunkin’ Donuts and attracted a string of A-list celebrities as guests. Read More

Kylie Kelce’s Podcast Soars to No. 1 on the Charts After Debut Episode — Dethroning This Popular Podcaster

REAL ESTATE

Vanessa Hudgens Upgrades To A $7.5 Million Dollar Modern Farmhouse In Studio City

Vanessa Hudgens, the actress who rose to fame as Gabriella Montez in the beloved Disney Channel franchise High School Musical, has traded in her Los Feliz digs for a sprawling $7.5 million modern farmhouse nestled in the heart of Studio City, California. The lavish estate marks a significant upgrade for Vanessa Hudgens, showcasing her impressive financial success since her teenage Disney days. Read More

Vanessa Hudgens Buys Studio City Modern Farmhouse for $7.5 Million

SPORTS

Who Knew The Vatican Had Their Own Cycling Team

The Vatican, the world’s smallest sovereign state, has a surprisingly active presence in the world of sports. Established in 2004, Athletica Vaticana, the official sports association of the Holy See, oversees various athletic activities for employees and residents of the Vatican City State. But it’s their cycling team, officially recognized by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) in September 2021, that has captured the imagination of the sporting world. This relatively young team, with its unique mission and dedicated participants, is slowly but surely making its mark on the international cycling scene. Read More

Can the sporty be Godly? Why the Vatican is in the race to become a global sporting presence

PROMOTION

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So much news, so little time. Until next time I’m signing out.

— Chris Thompson

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