Goodbye to 2025 and Hello to 2026!
Hello everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and is having a great 2026 so far.
It’s been a little while since I last posted here, so before jumping straight into what plans and changes I have planned for 2026, I want to take a moment to reconnect and talk honestly about where things stand with Austin B Media.
If you’ve been following my work for a while, you know I usually use the start of a new year to step back, take stock of what I built the previous year, and think about what comes next. This year, that pause took longer than I anticipated. Not because something was wrong, but because I felt a need to create distance between 2025 to understand what kind of year 2026 needs to be.
Why I Took a Step Back
One practical reason for that break was awards season. As someone who votes with multiple critics groups, I didn’t feel comfortable casting ballots in January without having seen enough 2025 releases to stand behind those choices with any confidence. That hesitation turned into a longer period of reflection, and by the time I realized how much time had passed, it felt easier to stay quiet than to announce a break awkwardly.
That space, funnily enough, was incredibly valuable.
What Worked in 2025
Looking back at 2025, there are things I’m proud of. I loved covering festivals like SXSW and Slamdance, and the interviews and conversations I published last year are still among my favorite things I’ve done at Austin B Media. When I hit publish, my work landed in a way that reminded me of why I started this site in the first place: thoughtful criticism, championing underseen projects, and meaningful conversations with the people who make the movies & television shows we love to watch.
Where I Fell Short
At the same time, 2025 fell below the goals I set for myself. Six years in, it’s important to me to say that plainly.
I set a goal of publishing 52 reviews and ended the year with six. My Patreon saw no paid growth and more cancellations than I’m comfortable with. Most importantly, I failed to deliver on nearly all of the Phase Six commitments I outlined: additional polls, a monthly film club, a revamped contributor program, progress on my eBook for aspiring critics, consistent editorial calendars, review research lists, Behind the Curtain posts, exclusive podcast episodes, and the benefits promised in my Subspace tier.
While that’s not easy to write, and even less so to read back, it’s necessary.
The Pattern I Can’t Ignore
What’s become clear to me is that these weren’t isolated failures or even bad luck. Instead, they came from a pattern I’ve been repeating for the past five years: overbuilding systems and benefits that required their own ongoing upkeep, rather than letting my Patreon and membership offerings grow naturally from the criticism, interviews, and other coverage I was already doing.
Essentially, anytime the work slowed down, everything attached to it collapsed as well.
If I were to sweep this under the rug and pretend it was a one-time misstep, that would be dishonest of me. I’ve written various versions of this post before, and that’s exactly why something needs to change structurally.
What’s Changing in 2026
So, here’s what’s different this time.
I’m treating 2026 as a do-over. I will not be abstract about any element of this “reset” or promote any new initiatives. Instead, I’ll create clear guardrails and guidelines to prevent repeating the same mistakes. The goal is simple: I publish my work on time, consistently, and don’t overextend myself or promise anything I can’t sustain.
What I’m Focusing On
Practically, that means I’ll be narrowing my focus. In 2026, Austin B Media will cover movies and television exclusively, with a continued emphasis on underseen independent projects alongside select franchise releases. You’ll still get the same level of criticism, interviews, coverage, and conversations you expect from me. The only change you’ll notice is that the scope of my coverage is tighter and has a stronger focus on timeliness.
I’m also prioritizing more regular podcast episodes and videos, and committing to communicating more clearly when plans change, rather than retreating and explaining everything months later.
Rebuilding Patreon Around My Work
Patreon is also changing alongside that shift. From now on, I’m rebuilding it around benefits that naturally arise from the work I’m already doing, such as access to my review notes, curated film recommendations every month, polls tied directly to coverage, and exclusive posts or discussions about my recently published work.
All benefits that require separate, standalone maintenance will be retired effective on April 30th, 2026. I want to promise things you’ll actually want to see, and I want to offer them consistently and follow through every month.
What This Means for Work Outside of Austin B Media
For those wondering how this affects my work outside Austin B Media: it doesn’t. My work with other outlets, as well as my participation in critics groups and other organizations, remains part of my regular workload. This do-over year is planned around that reality rather than remembering it only when it’s convenient.
Looking Ahead
I know trust isn’t rebuilt with one post. It’s rebuilt by actually delivering on the things you promise. That’s what 2026 is about for me, not scaling up, chasing every lead, but getting the fundamentals right and letting my work speak for itself.
Thank you for sticking around, for reading, and for supporting my work in whatever way you’re able. I’m looking forward toard to showing you what this next chapter actually looks like.
Until next time!
Austin
