Wolfers’s moment of clarity ultimately sent him down a road less traveled by academic economists: creating his own media company.

On Wednesday, Wolfers, 53, announced that he had founded Platypus Economics, an independent media start-up that aims to reach a mainstream audience. The name is a nod to his Australian roots, cheekily referring to the odd-looking mammal native to his birthplace. He’s funding the business himself, using the income from his textbook sales.

…To get his content channels off the ground and build an audience, Wolfers is teaming up with Initial Digital, the digital media division of the Initial Group, an entertainment company that’s backed by the private equity firm TPG.

Here is the full NYT story.