Hello friends,
It has been a difficult few weeks since I last wrote to you. It was a time of personal loss, reflecting on the past, and finding my way back to the present.
I plan to be more consistent with future newsletter editions.
In this edition, I want to share what I have observed about the world since the year began—specifically, a few subtle shifts in the way we tell and listen to stories.
First, there is the weak response to the opening of Amazon’s $75m Melania documentary. Yesterday, The Guardian reported that although President Trump claims it is selling out theatres quickly ahead of its opening weekend, Friday show sales are abysmal.
Forbes magazine shared the details:
In New York, a 6:45 p.m. Friday showing at the large AMC Lincoln Square has sold 45 of 122 seats, slightly over 36%, while other evening showings fared worse—a 7:45 p.m. Friday showing at the AMC in Times Square has sold 6 of 99 seats, or 6%, while a 7:30 p.m. screening at the Regal Cinema in Times Square has sold 5 of 88 seats, also about 6%. In the United Kingdom, ticket sales for “Melania” are “soft,” Tim Richards, the chief executive of large cinema chain Vue, told the Guardian.
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One anonymous source from production said they were uncomfortable with the “propaganda” element of the movie…
The response from viewers reinforces the argument I made in the last edition: storytelling is not propaganda. There is an old African proverb that showcases the importance of stories: “Until the Lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”
Stories are a bridge, allowing people to empathise with the proverbial Lion—the one with less power compared to the hunter. They make the world more humane, honest, and connected by allowing us to see the world from the perspective of the hunted, the victim, and those who are often neither heard nor seen. That is the kind of story audiences trust, provided it is told with truth, transparency, and an intention to build community.
However, audiences in 2026 are extremely sceptical when those in power share their stories. They will call it what it is: propaganda.
The second revelation involves the length of time that famous content creators—specifically those using traditionally journalistic formats like long-form interviews—can sustain credibility. I am talking about the podcast The Diary of a CEO, which has over 14 million subscribers on YouTube. It began over eight years ago with Steven Bartlett, a British entrepreneur and investor, who started the podcast in his bedroom as a hobby to share unfiltered, authentic stories from leaders.
This month, it faced a credibility crisis that questioned the host's intentions, biases, and core editorial stance. The scrutiny from traditional media, social media, and experts followed a statement he made in an end-of-year episode featuring lifestyle podcaster Chris Williamson. While discussing declining birth rates, the conversation took a disturbingly misogynistic turn, as reported by Metro:
During the conversation, women’s independence, access to contraception and changing social expectations were framed as potential explanations for why fewer people are having children. Williamson went further, suggesting that an ‘anti-family’ attitude among women was to blame, singling out a TikTok creator who had listed reasons she does not want children and seemingly mocking her decision not to become a mother.
The exchange quickly circulated on social media, where many listeners – and now a growing list of celebrities – accused the podcast of belittling women’s reproductive choices and reducing complex social issues to cultural grievances about feminism.
Amelia Whitworth, Head of Policy, Campaigns & Youth at Plan International UK, was among several others who pointed toward systemic misogyny in the discussion:
As Whitworth points out: ‘This isn’t happening in isolation. It comes alongside a well-funded, influential global pushback against the rights of women and girls. This movement seeks to preserve inequalities by limiting women’s agency and bodily autonomy, including through attacks on reproductive rights. Often, this is framed through rhetoric about family values, which is then used as a tool to restrict women’s freedoms.’
These criticisms are compounded by broader questions about responsibility. In 2024, a BBC investigation found that The Diary of a CEO had amplified harmful health misinformation, including anti-vaccine narratives and unsupported claims that certain medical conditions could be reversed through diet.
These criticisms are compounded by broader questions about responsibility. In 2024, a BBC investigation found that The Diary of a CEO had amplified harmful health misinformation, including anti-vaccine narratives and unsupported claims that certain medical conditions could be reversed through diet.
Overall, the criticism of the podcast raises a deeper question about the responsibility of content creators toward equality and social justice—or, at the very least, the responsibility not to endorse hateful propagandist opinions that even the UN has warned against.
Creators with large followings like Bartlett cannot avoid this scrutiny much longer. If they want to build long-term credibility, they will need deeper insights from journalism and storytelling fundamentals, including empathy, context, and the balancing of diverse perspectives.
We live in a time when the lion and the hunter are both telling stories, and it is often hard to tell who is who. But audiences are more sceptical than ever. If they are to follow a storyteller, they demand consistent trust.
If you are ready to share the story you need to tell, I have been sharing storytelling tutorials on YouTube. I upload new videos twice every week. Check them out and share your feedback.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Warmly,
Ruhi