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?'


BuzzFeed News’ Ben Smith: ‘Every company needs diverse business models’

Once dependent on Facebook, the publisher is broadening the ways it distributes its news and makes money. The post BuzzFeed News’ Ben Smith: ‘Every company needs diverse business models’ appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #buzzfeed news #ben smith #makes money


Tuesday Wake-Up Call: BuzzFeed News asks for donations, and the NFL hires a new chief marketer

Welcome to Ad Age's Wake-Up Call, our daily roundup of advertising, marketing, media and digital news. You can get an audio version of this briefing on your Alexa device. Search for "Ad Age" under "Skills" in the Alexa app. What people are talking about today: BuzzFeed, the for-profit, venture... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-08-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #banner ad #journal notes #news organization #harvard university #news outlets


BuzzFeed News quietly tests a membership program

The news publisher is testing a membership program that will let readers contribute $5 to $100 to support its journalism. The post BuzzFeed News quietly tests a membership program appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-08-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #membership program #news publisher


Publishers Creating Facebook Instant Articles Can Now Simultaneously Work on Google AMP (Apple News Soon)

The software-development kit for Facebook's Instant Articles media-rich, quick-loading stories from publishers now supports Google AMP, and the social network said support for Apple News is on the way. Partner engineering director Piyush Mangalick said in a Facebook Media blog post that an... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #enable publishers #apple news


Facebook promised to tackle fake news. But the evidence shows it's not working

Following pressure from users, the social network introduced tools to stem the spread of false information. But the rollout has been rocky at bestWhen Facebook’s new fact-checking system labeled a Newport Buzz article as possible “fake news”, warning users against sharing it, something... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fake news #opposite effect #fact check


New fake news dilemma: sites publish real scoops amid mess of false reports

Louise Mensch is among a number of bloggers offering a mix of true and inaccurate stories, forcing readers to discern for truth for themselvesThe need for vigilance in distinguishing real journalism from “fake news” has become well established since Donald Trump was elected with help from bogus... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fake news #evidence shows


Facebook Aims to Promote Better Journalism, Fight Hoaxes and Work With Local News Outlets

In a blog post on Wednesday, Facebook laid out a fairly elaborate plan to promote better media reporting and consumption. Called the Facebook Journalism Project, it includes a local news initiative, new storytelling formats and fighting hoaxes, among other items. With the current debate about... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #menlo park #local news #independent media


Charlotte Agenda’s local news formula: fewer advertisers, deeper partnerships

Local-news publishers are able to reach people cheaper and more easily on the Web than they can through legacy media. But few have nailed the revenue side of the equation, which has been harder to crack. North Carolina’s Charlotte Agenda is trying to solve that problem by eschewing low-CPM... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #legacy media #north carolina


News Corp sees strong growth in digital real estate services and book publishing

The company’s quarterly earnings call beats analysts’ expectations despite a fall in total revenue from the previous quarter and a net loss of $379mNews Corp, owner of the Wall Street Journal and the Times, reported a better-than-expected quarterly results as strong growth in its digital real... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publishing #total revenue #net loss #strong growth #print business #rupert murdoch


Facebook Is Working on a Twitter-Like App That Lets Publishers Send Mobile Breaking News Alerts to the Masses

Facebook is working on a stand-alone mobile news application that seems to be part of its Facebook for Business initiative.   This product, which sounds similar to Twitter, seems to be different from Facebook for Work, an initiative that wa ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #business initiative


Only 17 percent of BuzzFeed’s traffic goes to news

The viral news publisher has made a push into hard news, with nearly half its editorial staff devoted to traditional news stories. But the vast majority of its traffic is still driven by entertainment and lifestyle content. Seventeen percent of its traffic in April, the first month BuzzFeed... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hard news #news appeared #vast majority #lifestyle content #goal isn #high impact


Books and Digital Real Estate Assets Lift News Corp Results

News Corp reported quarterly revenue and a profit just above analysts’ consensus forecast as its book publishing and real estate businesses offset dwindling print revenue. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2015-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publishing


What Does Facebook’s New Tool for Fighting Fake News Mean for Real Publishers?

Facebook announced yet another tweak to the algorithm that governs its users’ News Feeds yesterday. The social network has introduced a new tool that allows users to flag a post as “a false news story.” The move follows ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook announced


Hey Brands, Here Are the Do's and Don't's of Working With BuzzFeed

If there's ever a case for the viral success of native video content, it's the partnership between Buzzfeed and Purina. The millennial-targeted publisher and the pet brand have worked together on several popular campaigns, including the Sad Cat Diary (17.4 million views), A Cat's Guide To... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #native advertising #general electric #production company #media company


Boot Up: free the river!, 'real work', GS5 rumours v reality, and more

Plus Douglas Adams on advertising, 'paper' currencies, Acer on Windows Phone, and moreA quick burst of 8 links for you to chew over, as picked by the Technology teamRiver level data must be open >> Climate Code FoundationNick Barnes has seen his home flooded for the second time in a month:... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #@gdntech


BuzzFeed's 'Real Women' Video Strikes Controversial Chord

How women are portrayed in photography has been a hot-button issue in publishing during the last several months. One could argue the spirited dialogue goes back a year to Dove's "Real Beauty Sketches" effort, which went viral. At any rate, whether you find BuzzFeed Video's "Photoshopping Real... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #videowatch chart #chart tracks #pure views #data sources #proprietary score #helps judge #recommended videos #tv shows #movie trailers #music videos


BuzzFeed's Jon Steinberg Trumpets Shift to Hard News

Adweek: Tell me about BuzzFeed’s Social Storytelling program, which you launched in May. Jon Steinberg: It’s very much evocative of the kind of authorization and training programs that we did when I was at Google [where Steinberg was strategic partner development manager on the company’s small... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #consume lots #full-time staff


Facebook, With a Focus on Mobile, Works on Project for News Via Users

Facebook Inc. FB -3.51% is aiming to become a newspaper for mobile devices. The social network has been quietly working on a service, internally called Reader, that displays content from Facebook users and publishers in a new visual format tail ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mobile devices


Fairfax Implements ‘Real-Time’ Working at its Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Offices

Fairfax Media is rolling out a number of initiatives this year as part of its ‘Fairfax of the Future’ strategy which aims to streamline operations and support the publisher’s shift to multi-platform delivery. The compa ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fairfax media #streamline operations


Online Publishers to Promote Each Other’s Work, Strengthen Digital News

Four local online newsrooms have united to broaden New Orleans’ news options. The mission of the newly formed New Orleans Digital News Alliance is to connect independent digital news organizations for the benefit of our readers and to stren ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online publishers