The Inner Circle Round Up: Media News You Can Use August 2020
Even as this abnormal summer comes to a close, we are still somehow dealing with breaking news 24/7. If you’re anything like us, you’ve been tuned in to the news for months, looking for opportunities to break through and try to make your own headlines. If your go-to sources aren’t cutting it, make sure you check out these new emerging media outlets who just may be looking for some fresh sources.
Here’s just a few opportunities we’ve come across this August -- and don’t forget to let us know if there’s any we should be keeping an eye out for over on Twitter at @ScottCircle!
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PRISM: Nonprofit News Amplifying Underrepresented Voices
This recently launched nonprofit news outlet is BIPOC-led (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) and focused on “stories that challenge the status quo,” amplifying those voices that are not as heard or seen in traditional media outlets. Per their mission statement, they are “committed to producing the kind of journalism that treats Black, Indigenous, and people of color, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and other invisibilized groups as the experts on our own lived experiences, our resilience, and our fights for justice.” They will cover a large range of issues including electoral justice, racial justice and more.
The Inner Circle Take: Issues of social and racial justice are definitely at the forefront when it comes to today’s news cycle, and this new outlet offers an opportunity to center the perspectives of those impacted by the issues the most. If you work with community leaders, nonprofits, or grassroots organizers, this may be a great opportunity to share their stories.
NowKids: Video Brand Targets Children of Millennials
We’re all still dealing with the coronavirus pandemic the best we can. Parents with young children are still struggling to juggle work, school, and childcare. NowThis, the millennial-focused video brand, is working to help provide a distraction by creating content targeted to these young kids of millennials (ages 6-11) through a dedicated YouTube channel, podcast and newsletter. According to NowThis President Athan Stephanopoulis, “The programming is not just for kids, but for millennial parents and their kids to learn and engage together.”
The Inner Circle Take: Engaging video content is what speaks to young children, and today with YouTube, there are endless resources beyond PBS programming or morning cartoons. It’s great to see this outlet try to find opportunities to help parents and kids engage with one another. If you’re working on topics or have resources that may help foster this sort of conversation (or if you’re working with young activists or spokespersons like NowThis Kids host Naomi Wilder), consider reaching out.
The Matchup: Giving Fans Access to Local Sports Stories
A new online sports collaboration started by The Local Media Consortium offers fans “multi-market access to content about their favorite teams, players and topics.” Live sports are still working their way to a comeback, and sports enthusiasts seem to be craving any sort of content that reminds them of the live-action they used to be able to witness on a regular basis. The hub gives an opportunity for local outlets to more widely share their stories and broaden their audiences.
The Inner Circle Take: Go sports. While there’s no direct editorial opportunities with this outlet as of yet, definitely keep an eye out if you work on sports related topics. A story placed in a local publication could end up getting much more traction than you realize, and may lead to opportunities for bigger stories down the line.
Mediaite: Interviewing the Interviewers
Mediaite has announced its first weekly podcast entitled “The Interview.” The title pretty much speaks for itself, with the podcast featuring “a weekly interview with the top personalities in the world” ranging from “journalists, cable news hosts, media executives, and politicians.” Guests in the lineup thus far include Fox News host Tucker Carlson and CNN’s Don Lemon.
The Inner Circle Take: If you are a media junkie, then this might be the podcast for you. This may be a good opportunity to see how these journalists are navigating the headlines of the day or if there are specific topics that seem to particularly intrigue them. If you learn something new, it might be something worth pitching for them to discuss on their own show or publications!