Globe's Power Play: A High-Stakes Bet on Elite Business News

BOSTON, MA – April 14, 2026 – The Boston Globe today launched “Power Play,” a premium, subscriber-only newsletter helmed by two of the region's most prominent business journalists, Shirley Leung and Jon Chesto. The twice-weekly dispatch promises to deliver an inside track on the intersection of business and power in Massachusetts, offering deeply reported stories, exclusive scoops, and insider gossip directly to paying readers.

The move represents more than just a new product launch; it is a significant strategic gambit for the 153-year-old institution, signaling a deeper investment in high-value, niche content designed to attract and retain the digital subscribers crucial to its future. By packaging the expertise of its star columnists into an exclusive product, the Globe is betting that access to the inner workings of the city's power structures is a commodity worth paying for.

A Strategic Play in a Digital-First Game

The launch of “Power Play” arrives as The Boston Globe navigates a critical phase in its digital transformation. For years, the locally owned media company has been a leader among regional newspapers in building a robust digital subscription base, a strategy seen as essential for survival in an era of declining print circulation. By May 2024, the organization had amassed an impressive 257,000 paid digital subscribers, a testament to its aggressive introductory offers and quality journalism.

However, this figure still falls short of the ambitious “North Star” goal of 400,000 digital subscribers set by its leadership. With subscriber growth slowing across the industry, the challenge shifts from pure acquisition to retention and increasing the perceived value of a full-price subscription, which can run upwards of $360 annually. “Power Play” is a direct answer to that challenge. As the Globe's first writer-helmed, subscriber-only newsletter, it is designed to be a loyalty driver, offering unique content that cannot be found elsewhere and making a subscription feel indispensable to its target audience.

"The Globe is doubling down on its business coverage at a critical moment in the economy of the Boston region," said Brian McGrory, editor of The Boston Globe, in the announcement. This doubling down is not just about volume, but about creating a premium tier of information aimed squarely at what the press release calls “the people who run Massachusetts” and the wider audience that seeks to understand them.

The Power of Personality and Prestige

Central to the newsletter's appeal are its authors, Shirley Leung and Jon Chesto, whose personal brands and deep-seated connections are the core of the product. The Globe is leveraging their established reputations as a powerful magnet for subscribers, a strategy that reflects a broader trend in media where individual journalistic brands have become potent assets.

Shirley Leung, a columnist and associate editor, is one of Boston's most influential commentators. A three-time Gerald Loeb Award finalist, she has built a reputation for provocative, agenda-setting columns on business, politics, and diversity. Her prior experience as the Globe’s business editor, where she steered coverage of the 2008 financial crisis, and as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, gives her a formidable depth of knowledge. Her work is known to spark conversation and hold the region's leadership accountable.

Jon Chesto, a veteran business reporter, brings over two decades of experience covering New England's corporate and political landscape. His career includes senior roles at the Boston Business Journal and The Patriot Ledger, where his work earned national awards. Chesto is known for his tenacious reporting and commitment to journalistic integrity, having successfully fought a subpoena in 2021 to protect his sources. His expertise provides the granular, on-the-ground reporting that underpins major business stories.

By uniting these two powerhouses, the Globe is creating a journalistic tandem whose combined network of contacts “soar into executive suites across the city,” as McGrory noted. The newsletter promises not just news, but the context, analysis, and “fresh gossip” that only seasoned insiders can provide.

Carving a Niche in a Crowded Field

“Power Play” enters a competitive regional business news market. It will vie for the attention of executives and policymakers who already turn to established outlets like the Boston Business Journal for daily business news, WBUR for in-depth economic analysis, and a host of specialized trade publications for industry-specific updates in real estate, finance, and healthcare. Even within the Globe's own portfolio, it must coexist with STAT, its globally recognized life sciences publication.

The newsletter's strategy for differentiation lies in its focus and tone. While competitors cover what happens in business, “Power Play” aims to explain why it happens and who is pulling the levers. Its promise of “insider perspective” on the competition for power within Boston's core sectors—from Seaport development to healthcare mergers—suggests a product that is less a newspaper of record and more an intelligence briefing for the influential.

This focus on the narrative behind the numbers is a calculated move to create a unique value proposition. It targets readers who don't just want to know the news but want to understand the dynamics of influence that shape it. By delivering this analysis with the distinct voices of Leung and Chesto, the Globe hopes to create a must-read product that transcends the daily news cycle and becomes an essential tool for navigating Boston's corridors of power.

The Newsletter as a Premium Product

This initiative places The Boston Globe firmly within a national media trend where subscriber-only newsletters are becoming a key tool for publishers like the Financial Times and startups like Punchbowl News. These products are designed to combat subscription fatigue by offering tangible, exclusive value that deepens a reader's relationship with the brand. They transform the newsletter from a simple traffic driver into a premium feature in its own right.

By making “Power Play” exclusive to subscribers, the Globe is sending a clear message: its best and most specialized analysis is reserved for those willing to pay. The success of the venture will be a closely watched test of this premium strategy in a major regional market. Ultimately, its ability to drive and retain subscriptions will depend on whether Leung and Chesto can consistently deliver the kind of indispensable scoops and incisive commentary that Boston's power players can't afford to miss.