Don Lemon is growing his digital media enterprise with the addition of new staff members and the promotions of others. He is also stepping into the newsletter world.
What We Know: Lemon Media Network is hiring Douglas Robins as Director of Operations. Additionally, Daniel Grimes will report for the company from Washington, D.C. Further behind-the-scenes moves include the promotions of Nikkie Machrone (Executive Producer) and Andy Myers (Senior Technical Director). Lemon has also announced a daily Substack newsletter to launch in advance of the 2026 midterms.
What They Said: “Two years ago, people told me independent media was a step down. Ten million followers later, I think we’ve answered that. While legacy media chases false equivalence, outrage, and endless food fights, audiences are moving toward voices that feel authentic, direct, and trustworthy. There’s a real freedom in what we’re doing here. No corporate boss, no fear of losing the job for telling the truth. We answer to the audience, not the elite, the oligarchs, or the Oval Office. That’s what freedom of the press is supposed to mean. The networks have the resources. We have the relevance. They should be asking themselves why.” -Don Lemon
What It Means: Lemon’s expansions have been well conceived. He continues to leverage digital platforms to grow his audience. He now has more than 10 million subscribers across a wide array of platforms. Lemon’s expansion comes after being arrested for his presence at a Minnesota protest inside a church. That case has yet to be resolved. Following his arrest, Lemon shared that his Substack subscribers grew by 73%.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
