Sarah Personette

CEO, Puck

Search every verified Sarah Personette interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Sarah Personette, CEO of Puck, discussed the company’s business model and the broader media landscape in an April 2026 interview on the Decoder podcast. She said that Puck’s base compensation for talent is at or above industry levels, and noted that two of the company’s recent hires came from Substack because those individuals did not feel capable of monetizing their work there. She also stated that Puck has no exit strategy and is focused on growing the company. In the interview, Personette argued that platforms have “torn down the institutions” and are not a good partner for media brands. She said the idea that journalists and influencers are the same is “quite dangerous,” describing journalism as a process and being an influencer as a way of making money. She also contrasted the current fragmented media environment with the 1970s, when news viewership was concentrated among three networks, local newspapers thrived, and trust in media was high.