The Inner Circle Round Up: Media News You Can Use August 2018
Welcome back to the Inner Circle Roundup! The August edition features more opportunities and new outlets to help PR pros strengthen their media relations strategy. Tweet at us (@scottcircle) with any opportunities we should keep in mind!
What’s New (and New-ish)
Buzzfeed: New home for news vertical
Buzzfeed has launched a new website (BuzzfeedNews.com), along with a new brand identity for Buzzfeed News that clearly differentiates the brand’s serious reporting from their other content like listicles and quizzes. The site will feature a Trending News Bar, showcasing the top news stories of the day, instead of traditional sections broken down by beat.
The Inner Circle Take: Buzzfeed News is a serious, Pulitzer Prize finalist news organization, but when breaking headlines are alongside the listicle of the day, it can be confusing for readers (and our clients) to take seriously. Now, with the new launch, Buzzfeed News contends with other major news organizations, and is a great opportunity for PR pros.
Snapchat: Launching news partnership initiative
Snapchat plans to launch a news partnership initiative that aims to help journalists and news organization access the videos and photos shared on the platform for news and information. The partnership “will primarily make it easier for news organizations to uncover and verify breaking news video faster,” and compared to other platforms, Snapchat’s geography data is more accurate and trustworthy.
The Inner Circle Take: This new initiative will allow major and local news organizations, who don’t always have the resources to send journalists and crews to breaking news locations, to access content. For PR pros, this could be an opportunity to introduce a Snapchat strategy for your clients. If your organization is frequently in the midst of breaking news, journalists could potentially use your Snapchat content and your experts as they develop their story.
Yahoo News: Finance section plans to expand streaming service
Yahoo Finance is expanding its live video streaming service, adding four TV news veterans to its growing team. By the end of the year, the news service will launch a full day line-up of live market and global financial news updates. The coverage will include their current shows, Market Movers, Midday Movers, the Final Round, along with other new content.
The Inner Circle Take: Another streaming service? It might be time to create a new media list! This is another example of media organizations trying to reach mobile-first audiences and compete with traditional TV news. As outlets move towards digital streaming platforms, PR pros need to adapt and explore potential ways to enter this new market. Yahoo Finance is yet another organization to jump on the streaming service trend, so stay tuned for more updates.
CNN: New site to house business coverage
This fall, CNN is launching CNN Business, a new site to house its business coverage including CNN Money, CNN Tech and CNN Media. The move signals that the site is more than financial news, as they plan to expand tech coverage, adding around half a dozen journalists. CNN also plans unveil a streaming video service focused on business and technology.
The Inner Circle Take: The new site suggests a need for more technology coverage. With increased focus on big tech’s privacy and regulation issues, journalists may need more expert voices to amplify their stories, providing your clients with a new opportunity.
Considerable: New outlet for older audiences.
Considerable, a new media group, has launched their website. The outlet hopes to reach people in their 50s, 60s and 70s who are “redefining what it means to grow older” and covers personal finance and lifestyle topics like “Family & Home,” “Money,” “Work,” “Pursuits,” and “Health & Wellness.” It’s currently in soft-launch mode with a formal rollout planned for September.
The Inner Circle Take: Older audiences can be tough to capture, especially with the lack of publications targeting them. If your goal is to reach the 60 and older crowd, this could be perfect opportunity. Considerable provides a fresh take on what it means to grow older and—for PR pros, a new outlet to pitch.
New to Us (and Maybe to You, Too)
InsideSources: News straight from the source
InsideSources is a non-partisan news organization that aims to provide “a deeper look at the serious stories affecting our country and our world” from the experts themselves. They cover a wide range of topics including energy, technology, politics, finance and education. The news site also features an opinion section and a robust syndication network.
The Inner Circle Take: InsideSources could be a great opportunity to get your client’s experts in the news. With their syndication network, the outlet provides the chance for your op-ed to be published not only by them, but picked up by newspapers across the country, which means more eyes on your issue.