Election Attention Cliff

Newsletter and niche‑media revenue and engagement spike sharply during major election cycles and then fall off quickly afterward; the depth and shape of the post‑election decline depend on subscriber mix (monthly vs annual) and editorial productization. Outlets that monetize via short‑term monthly subscribers face steeper revenue drops than those with a higher share of long‑term/annual members. — Understanding the 'attention cliff' matters for media viability, newsroom staffing, and how political information availability fluctuates across the electoral cycle, which in turn affects civic knowledge and democratic accountability.