So, I guess I'm a journalist now

I’m not a journalist.

I tell this to myself over and over again.

Journalists don’t make money. I can’t be a journalist.

For the longest time, I resisted the idea.

Journalism takes work, and training, and formal education in things like, you know, journalism. I’m just a marketer who can string a few words together and build a website.

No, no, I’m not a journalist.

And yet, every day, as I do the work, I have the same thoughts.

I mean, what do I know about codes of ethics, transparency, and fact-checking? I used to run ad campaigns for pharma companies, for crying out loud!

People just like reading what I write. It’s topical, and pinball is fun. Anyone could do this. I’m building a platform, a means of distribution, a legitimate business, not a blog.

I’m not a journalist, am I?

But a funny thing happens when you start doing the work of a journalist every day. You learn about being a journalist. And all that’s required to do journalism well. You start exploring the SPJ Code of Ethics, geeking out over transparency reports in a cycling blog, and networking with other journalists. You start reading books on journalism, cultivate relationships with voices in your beat, and build systems for tracking and synthesizing large volumes of information.

You learn how to conduct better interviews, not for some new podcast episode or livestream, but for gathering the information and perspective you need to write an article that tells a story. You become a habitual listener of media business podcasts like People vs Algorithms and Mixed Signals. You buy a reference copy of The Elements of Style, devour Hunter S. Thompson's writing for a taste of a different flavor of journalism, and learn about the history of The Village Voice.

These are all things I’ve done, anyway, in the name of making Kineticist the best it can be and continuing on this path of independent media creation and journalism.

Fine. I’m a journalist.

I’m leaning into it now, putting the pieces in place and developing a stronger vision for what I want Kineticist to be and how I want to see it grow: the values it should embody and the impact it should have on this community and other places. I want it to be a sustainable, independent, community-supported publication that works for its readers, not a corporation or an advertiser.

But the hard truth is that I can’t continue doing this without your support.

Being an indie publisher, ahem, journalist even, is HARD in 2025. The deck is stacked against anyone who chooses this path. Advertising dollars have dried up. AI devalues our work. Social media platforms destroy our distribution. The independent media ecosystem is shrinking as publications are shuttered and journalists leave the field.

Running Kineticist is also expensive! Reader support doesn’t just keep the lights on. It pays our writers, funds travel to game reveals, and covers the tools we use to produce stories for you.

The only funding and support I can truly rely on is what comes directly from readers like you. That’s what lets me continue pushing towards a vision of financial and editorial independence for our work while continuously striving to improve our products for you.

This is why, this September, I’m joining a small group of fellow indie publishers for the Back Indie Media Drive.

As part of this drive, I’m asking you to take an important step that ensures Kineticist can continue on the path we’ve forged together, one of independent, thoughtful coverage of the pinball hobby (and beyond).

If you’ve ever gotten value from our coverage, now’s the time to support it. Most readers chip in $60/year, but even $25/year makes a real difference. Our goal this month is just 50 new subscriptions. A small, but achievable step, with over 10,000 people on this list.

And as a fellow indie media supporter, I encourage you to check out some of the other great publications taking part in the Back Indie Media Drive for your next favorite read.

Thank you for the time and the support you’ve provided so far.

Back to the pinball coverage soon! I’ve got another edition of The Score Card in the works, a fun interview with the team behind the Casa Bonita pinball machine that’s been making the rounds in enthusiast circles, plus our regular weekly updates.

Cheers,

-Colin Alsheimer
Founder and Editor, Kineticist

P.S. Even if now’s not the right time to subscribe, simply sharing our work with a friend who loves pinball helps!