Can the BuzzFeed Formula Work For Real News?

BuzzFeed, the meme-centric social news site known for its reserves of offbeat content and silly cat photos, is stockpiling journalists—serious ones. Last week, it announced the hire of award-winning Rolling Stone writer Michael Hastings, adding to an impressive roster of reporters that include Gizmodo’s Matt Buchanan, RollingStone.com’s Doree Shafrir, New York magazine’s Amy Odell and, most notably, Politico powerhouse Ben Smith. The recent spate of big hires has even sparked its own Tumblr. It’s all part of an original content effort that CEO and co-founder Jonah Peretti said is intended to make BuzzFeed the leading social publisher. “We’ve been hiring a new breed of reporter who combines traditional journalistic values with fluency for the social web,” he said. “People can share and discover content on [social networks] and email. The big opportunity now is making content worth sharing.” Surely, every reporter believes their content is worth sharing. But as this new class of journalist attempts to remake BuzzFeed into a purveyor of consequential stories —not just catchy ones—what’s to say that its scoops on politics and culture won’t get lost amid the flood of posts labeled “lol,” “cute” and “omg”? In a world where people already get news from Facebook News Feeds and Twitter streams, that’s not a big issue, said Peretti. “Consumers are used to seeing personal updates, mixed with cute cat pictures, mixed with election coverage,” he said. “Everything is combined... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'

[ AdWeek | 2012-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #japanese earthquake #steve jobs #april issue #poynter institute

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Can the BuzzFeed Formula Work For Real News?'


French authors contest new law on orphan works

French authors have been signing a petition contesting a law for scanning and selling orphan and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #orphan works #french authors


Newsday Wins Three New York News Publishers Association Awards for Excellence

Melville, NY, February 14, 2012 – Newsday has been recognized by the New York News Publishers Association with three Awards for Excellence for its superior journalism. Award winners will be honored at a reception in Albany on Wednesday, Apr ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #award winners


Sun Staff Turn on Murdoch: Senior Journalists Criticize News Corp.

LONDON -- Fresh evidence of a "civil war" at News Corp. has emerged following what commentators have interpreted as an extraordinary attack by the Murdoch-owned U.K. tabloid The Sun on its parent company. In a signed article, published Monda ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #civil war


The Works ups pre-Christmas sales by 12%

The Works is heralding a revived "commitment to books" after appointing a new c.e.o.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


News Corp hit by $87m NotW costs

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has reported a 43% hit on its publishing arm, which includes its UK national newspapers, reducing the unit's operating income to $218m (£138m) as it was hit by multimillion-pound costs relating to the phone-hacking scandal at the News of the World. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2012-02-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news corporation #rupert murdoch #publishing arm #operating income #phone-hacking scandal


French law on out of print works 'world first'

France is claiming a world first with its imminent adoption of a new law that lays down the rules... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Anticipation builds for Apple education news

Apple will today lift the lid on a hotly anticipated education announcement which many... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


News Corp to Buy Minority Stake in Dubai's Media Company Moby Group

Rupert Murdoch's US media giant News Corp is expanding its presence in the Middle East media market and beyond by agreeing to acquire a minority stake in Dubai-based media company Moby Group. Under the deal, News Corp will relinquish its 50 per ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rupert murdoch #minority stake


News Corp. for First Time Details Tabloid Bribe for Story on Child Killer

News Corp. (NWSA) for the first time publicly detailed bribery by a journalist at its now-defunct News of the World, telling a court that a former editor agreed to pay a prison guard to get a story about a child killer. Matt Nixson, a features edit ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #prison guard


Second work of memoir from Auster

Faber is to publish Winter Journal, a second work of memoir by American writer Paul Auster, in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Google unveils mobile-formatted news magazine Currents

Google on Thursday officially launched Google Currents, a news reading application for Android and iOS-based smartphones and tablets, and publishing backend for content producers. Similar in concept to Flipboard, Zite or any of the dozens of "iPad magazines," Google Currents lets readers... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2011-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #content producers #ipad magazines #news sites


Content Licensing: Making It Work for You

The term “content licensing” is an ambiguous one, especially among publishers. Some consider reprints and e-prints to be a full-fledged content licensing operation; while others leasing out logos and awards for third-party use count it as their content licensing service. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #content licensing


Online-only News Brands Garner More “Buzz” than Print-Affiliated Counterparts

Online-only news sites received more—and more positive—online “buzz” than their print-affiliated counterparts in 2011, according to a data-mining tool developed by digital marketing agency Zeta Interactive. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Donaldson: Gloucs/Somerset ruling "best news all year"

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 17/11/2011 - 09:30 Children's laureate Julia Donaldson has welcomed yesterday's High Court ruling against library closures in Gloucestershire and Somerset as "the best news I’ve had all year". In a statement given to Somerset group Watchet... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #welcomed yesterday #library closures


New digital short works series for Penguin

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 14/11/2011 - 08:22 Penguin is launching a digital series of exclusive short works called Penguin Shorts, releasing nine titles by authors including Helen Dunmore, Toby Young and Colm Toibin. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital series #colm toibin


Hearst Uses Marie Claire @Work to Grab Younger Audiences

Hearst Magazines is launching a supplement to Marie Claire magazine today in an attempt to drive interest and attract new and younger demographics of readers. The 72-page November supplement, entitled Marie Claire @Work, will roll out with 100,000 issues on newsstands. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hearst magazines


News outlets look to tablet computer users for revenue

More than half of owners read news on their devices, a survey shows, though there's not much willingness to pay for content. But there may be a way.With roughly 25 million adults in America now owning an iPad or other tablet computer, a new survey shows that the early adopters are using the... Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2011-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news outlets #survey shows #tablet computer #early adopters #social networking #reading books #watching videos


Browser, Not Apps, Still Biggest News Channel on Tablets

While consuming news has become one of the more popular activities for tablet users, access to it is still largely conducted through a browser, not specialized apps, says a new study released by the Pew Research Center and The Economist Group Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tablet users #study released #economist group


Tablet Users Are Heavy News Readers

A year and a half since the Apple iPad was introduced, a new study shows that reading news has become a big part of what people use tablets for. But publishers still have a way to go to get people to pay for content on tablets. The newest look at people’s willingness to pay for content is a... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #silver lining #written word #past summer