Laura McGann, former Vox.com and Politico political editor, and Mark Bauman, previously with the Smithsonian, National Geographic and ABC News, are teaming up to launch a name yet to be named, “confidential” media company.
Why is this important: McGann and Bauman say they’re looking to build a newsroom that delves into topics like disinformation, climate and Chinese geopolitics.
- “Our goal is to create a newsroom of reporters, subject matter experts, visual journalists and editors who come together to cover the biggest stories of the day,” McGann said. “We will be creating new formats that will give our audience a more comprehensive look at big news stories that can be confusing if you read them piecemeal.”
Details: The pair have already raised more than $10 million in a Series A funding round from two investors: one is a US-based individual whom the company declines to name; The second is International media investmentsa UAE-based fund that holds a minority stake in Euronews, Europe’s leading international news network, Sky News Arabia and others.
- McGann will serve as the outlet’s editorial manager. Bauman will work as president and CEO, overseeing the business side of the operation.
- The pair will report to a council of five news and political veterans: David Ensor, Chris Isham, Madhulika Sikka, Alberto Fernandez and John Defterios.
- Matthew Yglesias, McGann’s former colleague Vox Media will join as editor. “He’s going to be pioneering new policy writing formats for us,” McGann said.
- The outlet will invest heavily in data visualizations, and integrating the expertise of contributors. Yglesias will play a key role in helping the editorial team work with outside experts, such as academics.
The company has already hired about twenty people, about half of which contribute to editorial operations. Two of the company’s editorial hires include Kay Steiger, former Washington editor for Vox.com, and Tom Nagorski, former Asia Society chief operating officer and ABC News editor.
- The company has 22 vacancies posted on its website. It hopes to have at least 60 people on staff by the end of the year, depending on how many people they decide to hire as full-time editors or contractors, according to Bauman. The company will be based in Washington, D.C.
- At launch, the focus will be on three key areas: Politics and Politics (led by Steiger), Geopolitics and World Affairs (led by Nagorski) and Science and Technology.
- “We’re very interested in AI and bias,” McGann added.
- The company is also recruiting a survey editor to build a team to break news.
Be smart: Bauman says the outlet will be funded by advertising and sponsorships from the site’s editorial and live events. Later, the company hopes to launch a counseling line.
What to watch: The point of sale should be officially launched at the end of September.
