Grid News
{{Short description|American media company}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Grid News
| type = News
| owner = The Messenger
| editor = Laura McGann
| key_people = Mark Bauman
| url = https://www.grid.news
}}
Grid News, also known as Grid, was a digital media company based in Washington, D.C. It launched in January 2022.{{Cite news |last=Robertson |first=Katie |date=2022-01-12 |title=Grid, a 'Fuller Picture' News Site, Goes Live |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/12/business/grid-news-site-live.html |access-date=2022-12-06 |issn=0362-4331}} Grid News was initially led by Mark Bauman as a senior advisor and Laura McGann as its executive editor.{{Cite web |title=About Us – Grid News |url=https://www.grid.news/about-us/ |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=Grid News}} It produced a podcast called "Bad Takes" hosted by Grid editors Matthew Yglesias and McGann.{{Cite web |last=Stenberg |first=Mark |title=How Grid's Laura McGann Is Reimagining Reporting |url=https://www.adweek.com/media/laura-mcgann-has-reimagined-reporting-using-an-intersectional-structurally-focused-approach/ |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=www.adweek.com |language=en-US}} The conversational podcast covered one "bad take," or incorrect opinion, each week.{{Cite web |last=Maddaus |first=Gene |date=2022-09-14 |title=Matt Yglesias and Laura McGann Launch a Podcast to Counter the Internet's 'Bad Takes' (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2022/politics/news/matt-yglesias-bad-takes-laura-mcgann-podcast-grid-1235369926/ |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
Grid's corporate entity was Media Investment Properties OpCo LLC,{{Cite web |date=2022-01-05 |title=Terms of service |url=https://www.grid.news/terms-of-service/ |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=Grid News}} a Delaware domestic limited liability company.{{Cite web |title=MEDIA INVESTMENT PROJECTS OPCO LLC :: Delaware (US) :: OpenCorporates |url=https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_de/4921540 |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=OpenCorporates}}
On March 22, 2023, Grid, its brand, and its assets were purchased for an undisclosed price by The Messenger, a news startup led by Jimmy Finkelstein, former owner of The Hill.{{cite news |last1=Owen |first1=Laura Hazard |title=A forthcoming news site absorbs Grid (and its Middle Eastern funding, too) |url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/03/the-messenger-acquires-grid/ |access-date=29 March 2023 |work=Nieman Lab |date=22 March 2023}} On March 27, 2023, Grid's website was shuttered and redirected to The Messenger
Overview
Grid News employs a format it calls a "360," which breaks down potentially complex stories by approaching them from various lenses, such as race, climate change and misinformation.{{Cite web |last=Stenberg |first=Mark |title=News Publisher Grid's Interconnected Approach |url=https://www.adweek.com/media/news-publisher-grid-interconnected-approach/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=www.adweek.com |language=en-US}} Stories are often written collaboratively by different writers who focus on different contexts for the story. This is intended to illustrate how stories intersect with larger topics, like the economy or health care.{{Cite web |last=Guaglione |first=Sara |date=2022-08-04 |title=Grid hires 3 journalists to boost political, news coverage ahead of midterms |url=https://digiday.com/media/grid-hires-3-journalists-to-boost-political-news-coverage-ahead-of-midterms/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}} In addition to the news site, Grid's reporting and storytelling are also featured in its daily newsletter, which debuted alongside Grid's launch.{{Cite web |last=Kitterman |first=Ted |date=2022-01-26 |title=How PR pros can land coverage with new online outlet 'Grid' |url=https://www.prdaily.com/how-pr-pros-can-land-coverage-with-new-online-outlet-grid/ |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=PR Daily}} In September 2022, the publication launched a weekly healthcare newsletter called Grid Health.{{Cite web |last=Schultz |first=Ray |date=Sep 25, 2022 |title=Grid Starts An Email Newsletter On Health |url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/378094/grid-starts-an-email-newsletter-on-health.html |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=www.mediapost.com |language=en}}
History
In February 2022, Grid conducted an investigation into the 2022 Canada convoy protests.{{Cite web |last=Gold |first=Ashley |date=2022-02-14 |title=U.S. accounts drive Canadian convoy protest chatter |url=https://www.axios.com/2022/02/14/us-accounts-canada-convoy-protests-social-media |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=Axios |language=en}} The coverage led the U.S. Oversight Committee to prompt Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to intervene in the crisis.
In October 2022, Adweek selected McGann as its "Editor of the Year."
On November 7, 2022, Bauman stepped down from his president and chief executive officer roles and became an advisor to the company. He revealed the news to staff in a note.{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Sara |title=Axios Media Trends: Peyton Manning scoop |url=https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-media-trends/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Axios |language=en}}
On June 20, 2023, Digiday named Grid the Editorial Team of the Year in their annual Digital Awards.{{Cite web |last=Awards |first=Digiday |date=2023-06-20 |title=Ancestry, Xaxis and Hilton are among the 2023 Digiday Media Awards winners |url=https://digiday.com/announcement/awards/ancestry-xaxis-and-hilton-are-among-the-2023-digiday-media-awards-winners/ |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}
Commercial Strategy
Grid's business was built on engagement with its over 2 million monthly readers, including "a bipartisan, senior-level audience of policymakers and political influencers, including many in Congress, the White House and nearly all Federal agencies."{{Cite web |last=Guaglione |first=Sara |date=2022-08-04 |title=Grid hires 3 journalists to boost political, news coverage ahead of midterms |url=https://digiday.com/media/grid-hires-3-journalists-to-boost-political-news-coverage-ahead-of-midterms/ |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}
The majority of Grid's revenue came from digital advertising on its website, newsletter sponsorships, podcast ads, and brand content. Advertisers included Meta, GE, Amazon, Delta Air Lines, Business Roundtable, and PhRMA.{{Cite web |last=Guaglione |first=Sara |date=2022-08-04 |title=Grid hires 3 journalists to boost political, news coverage ahead of midterms |url=https://digiday.com/media/grid-hires-3-journalists-to-boost-political-news-coverage-ahead-of-midterms/ |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}
Funding
Initial funding of $10 million for Grid News was provided by International Media Investments and technology executive Brian Edelman.{{Cite web |title=The unusual origins behind the splashiest, newest political news site |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/25/unusual-origins-news-site-00001776 |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Brian |title=Tech executive invests in digital news start-up launched by veteran D.C. journalists |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/30/tech-exec-invests-in-digital-news-startup-launched-by-veteran-journalists.html |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=CNBC |language=en}} International Media Investments, which is based in Abu Dhabi, is a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation, which is privately owned by UAE Deputy Prime Minister Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and also has a minority stake in Euronews.{{Cite web |date=2016-11-17 |title=Man City owner buys The National newspaper |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1011801/business-economy |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=Arab News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Fischer |first=Sara |date=2021-07-10 |title=D.C. journalists launch media company with $10 million+ funding |url=https://www.axios.com/2021/07/10/dc-journalists-launch-media-company |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=Axios |language=en}}
Team
Grid used public relations firm APCO Worldwide to perform "consulting services" in connection with its launch. APCO participated in a pitch for the full-time public relations work, but lost the bid to firm DKC News. As of March 2023, APCO had no ongoing relationship with Grid. APCO Worldwide senior advisor and former CNN journalist John Defterios{{Cite web |title=John Defterios – APCO Worldwide |url=https://apcoworldwide.com/people/john-defterios/undefined/people/john-defterios/ |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=apcoworldwide.com |language=en}} also sits on Grid's board. Other board members included journalists David Ensor, Madulika Sikka and Chris Isham, and diplomat Alberto Fernandez.
The Grid launch team included Kay Steiger, a former Vox Media Washington editor and Tom Nagorski, a former ABC News managing editor. In August 2022, Leah Askarinam, a former politics reporter at the New York Times, joined the team as a senior editor.{{Cite web |last=Guaglione |first=Sara |date=2022-08-04 |title=Grid hires 3 journalists to boost political, news coverage ahead of midterms |url=https://digiday.com/media/grid-hires-3-journalists-to-boost-political-news-coverage-ahead-of-midterms/ |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Schultz |first=Ray |title=Grid Hires Leah Askarinam And Justin Ray To Build Journalistic Operation |url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/376372/grid-hires-leah-askarinam-and-justin-ray-to-build.html |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=www.mediapost.com |language=en}}
Immediately before becoming communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris,{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Jasmine |date=2022-01-06 |title=Kamala Harris to name Jamal Simmons as communications director {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/06/politics/jamal-simmons-kamala-harris/index.html |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=CNN |language=en}} Jamal Simmons was paid $60,000 in "consulting fees" by Grid's corporate entity for work between August 2021 and January 2022 to launch a "reoccurring online interview segment."{{Cite web |title=Appointee – Jamal Simmons – Biden's Basement |url=https://www.insidebidensbasement.org/appointees/jamal-simmons |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=Inside Biden's Basement}}