How Short-Form Clips Took Over the Internet

Galaxy Brain

The Atlantic

Technology

4.5 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 April 2026

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of Galaxy Brain, Charlie Warzel talks with business writer Ed Elson about the rise of the “clip economy”—the idea that short video clips pulled from podcasts, livestreams, and other long-form content have become the dominant unit of online media, not just a promotional tool. Elson explains how figures like Andrew Tate pioneered armies of paid clippers to flood social platforms with content and how the viewership numbers on clips often perform better than the original shows. Warzel and Elson discuss what this means for legacy media organizations, as well as the broader societal costs of phone-driven attention erosion. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/Listener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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1:02.9	And I think it's incumbent on everyone who cares about their work in media to think quite deeply about this question and recognize that if they're not watching you, they're watching
1:07.3	Nick Fuentes, they're watching Hassan Piker, they're watching Plyker, they're watching
1:10.2	clavicular, they're watching all of Piker. They're watching clavicular.
1:12.2	They're watching all of these guys.
1:16.9	If you don't get yourself out there on these social media platforms, that's who's going to fill the void.
1:21.9	I'm Charlie Warzel, and this is Galaxy Brain, a show for today we're going to talk about
1:27.1	clips.
1:29.4	There's a good chance if you spend a decent amount of time online that a lot of the media
1:34.3	you're consuming is coming in the form of short form video clips.
1:38.3	Instagram Reels, videos on X, TikToks, YouTube shorts, and whatever is happening on Facebook.
1:48.0	While writing this, I opened up my Instagram account, and here's what I saw in order.
1:52.5	A snippet of Kevin Hart talking about his tequila business on a popular tech podcast. A clip of pop singer Dua Lipa interviewing a playwright for her book club podcast.
1:57.6	A short video of my favorite band Goose shredding in St. Augustine, Florida, and a quick
	...

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