Jon Kelly
Jon Kelly is best known as a co-founder and Editor in Chief of Puck, the subscription-based media company launched in 2021 that has attracted significant attention for its model of paying journalists equity stakes alongside salaries to produce insider-focused newsletters and journalism across entertainment, finance, politics, and technology. Puck represents a notable experiment in the evolving media business landscape, blending the newsletter economy with long-form reporting and a talent-ownership model that has been widely discussed in media industry circles. Before co-founding Puck, Kelly built his editorial career at major legacy and digital media organizations. He served in senior editorial roles at BuzzFeed and prior to that at Time Inc., where he developed expertise in digital content strategy and editorial leadership during a transformative period for the media industry. His background spans both traditional magazine journalism and the pivot-to-digital era that reshaped publishing economics. While Puck is not strictly an AdTech company, its business model — built on direct reader subscriptions rather than advertising — places Kelly at the center of ongoing industry conversations about alternative monetization strategies, the decline of ad-supported media, and the future of premium content. His work is closely watched by media investors, publishers, and advertising executives navigating the post-cookie, post-scale era of digital publishing.
Last updated Sep 26, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment · Connections updated Sep 28, 2026
- Years in industry
- 15 years
Bio
Jon Kelly is best known as a co-founder and Editor in Chief of Puck, the subscription-based media company launched in 2021 that has attracted significant attention for its model of paying journalists equity stakes alongside salaries to produce insider-focused newsletters and journalism across entertainment, finance, politics, and technology. Puck represents a notable experiment in the evolving media business landscape, blending the newsletter economy with long-form reporting and a talent-ownership model that has been widely discussed in media industry circles. Before co-founding Puck, Kelly built his editorial career at major legacy and digital media organizations. He served in senior editorial roles at BuzzFeed and prior to that at Time Inc., where he developed expertise in digital content strategy and editorial leadership during a transformative period for the media industry. His background spans both traditional magazine journalism and the pivot-to-digital era that reshaped publishing economics. While Puck is not strictly an AdTech company, its business model — built on direct reader subscriptions rather than advertising — places Kelly at the center of ongoing industry conversations about alternative monetization strategies, the decline of ad-supported media, and the future of premium content. His work is closely watched by media investors, publishers, and advertising executives navigating the post-cookie, post-scale era of digital publishing.
Expertise & education
Expertise
Speaking topics
Recognition
Notable achievements
- Co-founded Puck in 2021, raising significant venture funding and pioneering a journalist equity-ownership model
- Built Puck into a recognized brand covering insider journalism across Hollywood, Wall Street, Washington, and Silicon Valley
Publications
- Puck (puck.news)