a16z plans to launch a “new and separate media property” later this year focused on “the future” and names ex-CNN editor Maggie Leung executive editor
rather than traditional PR — is a huge opportunity for a huge number of companies, universities, non-profits, and political parties. Tell your own story. https://a16z.com/... @balajis : The new model: go after the best reader, not the most readers. Rather than seeking 10M views in 10 hours, find the one reader who will make you $10M in 10 years. And fund them. Investable content is the opposite of clickbait. Readers check your facts before taking your check. https://twitter.com/... Jason Kint / @jason_kint : What a terrible idea but perfect fit. Polite tip from here: open yourself up to the free and plural press rather what you've done the last few years to close channels. And maybe have your employees unblock the journalists who challenge their narratives or ask them questions. https://twitter.com/... @alexisohanian : Ugh I'm kicking myself for not following through on this plan over a year ago at initialized. Smart move by @a16z tho - more to come. Distribution and community will be huge assets for the best investors. https://twitter.com/... Antonio Garca Martnez / @antoniogm : A16z starting its own standalone media operation. Well, isn't that fascinating.... https://a16z.com/... Chris O'Brien / @obrien : Venture firm announces plans to launch a massive content marketing operation. Like every other corporation on the planet. People assume this is somehow revolutionary because Silicon Valley. https://twitter.com/... @jason : Curious if the tech media thinks @a16z will take jobs, audience, & relationships with subjects away from them? Also, curious if any journalists would take a huge raise & carry to be part of @a16z's TechCrunch/box/nyt-tech “killer” https://twitter.com/... Richard MacManus / @ricmac : Kind of ironic, as all those TechCrunch bloggers turned into VCs and now it's the opposite... https://twitter.com/... Vijay Pande / @vijaypande : Doubling Down on the Future—@wennmachers on @a16z's “building a new and separate media property about the future that makes sense of technology, innovation, and where things are going” with an expanded effort into contributed pieces on our properties. https://a16z.com/... Amelia Salyers / @asalyers3 : Sneak peek at the most exciting, ambitious, scary project of my career. So grateful @smc90 pulled me to @a16z 2 years ago ... can't wait to keep building the thing w/ her, @wennmachers, @jareditor, our whole editorial & marketing team, and now the legend Maggie Leung! https://twitter.com/... Kyle Chayka / @chaykak : I guess Content Is Eating the World now huh https://a16z.com/... Sascha Segan / @saschasegan : It's gonna be like the OANN for Silicon Valley https://twitter.com/... Taylor Lorenz / @taylorlorenz : a16z has hired Maggie Leung, former head of content for NerdWallet (and CNN, WSJ journalist before that) as executive editor https://a16z.com/... Geoffrey A. Fowler / @geoffreyfowler : This is not a good idea. To grow and improve its products, the tech industry needs to be open to more independent views, not more sycophancy. https://twitter.com/... Jorge Conde / @jorgecondebio : “People want to learn about the future. If Software really is Eating the World, there needs to be a place that is dedicated to explaining & tracking it. So [@a16z is] building a new & separate media property...to be the go-to place for understanding & building the future.”👇 https://twitter.com/... Alex Kantrowitz / @kantrowitz : I'm totally for companies building a direct channel with their audience. But also concerned it means sidelining different voices and tough conversations. Moves like this send a signal to the industry. My hope is that it's not: Life is better in an echo chamber. https://twitter.com/... Andrew Chen / @andrewchen : 👇announcing a16z's new executive editor and our strategy for blogging, podcasting, Clubhouse, and more media! https://twitter.com/... Matthew Panzarino / @panzer : I believe the startup phrase I'm supposed to use now is “we view it as a validation of the space” https://twitter.com/... Margit Wennmachers / @wennmachers : 6/ We're inviting outside voices to help explain the future. We don't have a monopoly on great ideas, so we need fellow builders, thinkers, and experts to join in. Our lens will always be rational optimism about tech and the future. We welcome all to contribute to this vision. Margit Wennmachers / @wennmachers : 2/ Soon a16z partners began writing about all kinds of tech topics—from marketplaces to AI—as well as company building advice. Whenever we got the same question again and again from entrepreneurs, we blogged about it. Margit Wennmachers / @wennmachers : 1/ Originally, blogging about our investments was a way to outline our thinking and share reputational risk with the founders. (Back then, it was common for investors to only talk about exits, when there was upside.) Margit Wennmachers / @wennmachers : 7/ We're launching later this year. In the meantime, we'll be hiring and sharing more info on what to expect and how to contribute. Sign up here to get updates. https://info.a16z.com/... Margit Wennmachers / @wennmachers : 3/ Having a direct channel was powerful. Founders felt supported and understood. People at big companies read our content to keep track of emerging tech. See also Mediagazer
When @a16z started in 2009, we embraced blogging to speak directly to our audience of builders and founders. We're expanding our content operation into its own media property to help make sense of technology, innovation, and the future. https://a16z.com/... Here's why 👇
A16 is starting an in-house media company. I think first-party content creation — rather than traditional PR — is a huge opportunity for a huge number of companies, universities, non-profits, and political parties. Tell your own story. https://a16z.com/...
The new model: go after the best reader, not the most readers. Rather than seeking 10M views in 10 hours, find the one reader who will make you $10M in 10 years. And fund them. Investable content is the opposite of clickbait. Readers check your facts before taking your check. htt…
Ugh I'm kicking myself for not following through on this plan over a year ago at initialized. Smart move by @a16z tho - more to come. Distribution and community will be huge assets for the best investors. https://twitter.com/...
“People want to learn about the future. If software really is eating the world, there needs to be a place that is dedicated to explaining and tracking it. So we are doing just that.” @wennmachers An announcement on the future of a16z media. https://a16z.com/...
What a terrible idea but perfect fit. Polite tip from here: open yourself up to the free and plural press rather what you've done the last few years to close channels. And maybe have your employees unblock the journalists who challenge their narratives or ask them questions. http…
Curious if the tech media thinks @a16z will take jobs, audience, & relationships with subjects away from them? Also, curious if any journalists would take a huge raise & carry to be part of @a16z's TechCrunch/box/nyt-tech “killer” https://twitter.com/...
Venture firm announces plans to launch a massive content marketing operation. Like every other corporation on the planet. People assume this is somehow revolutionary because Silicon Valley. https://twitter.com/...
Doubling Down on the Future—@wennmachers on @a16z's “building a new and separate media property about the future that makes sense of technology, innovation, and where things are going” with an expanded effort into contributed pieces on our properties. https://a16z.com/...
Sneak peek at the most exciting, ambitious, scary project of my career. So grateful @smc90 pulled me to @a16z 2 years ago ... can't wait to keep building the thing w/ her, @wennmachers, @jareditor, our whole editorial & marketing team, and now the legend Maggie Leung! https://twi…
This is not a good idea. To grow and improve its products, the tech industry needs to be open to more independent views, not more sycophancy. https://twitter.com/...
“People want to learn about the future. If Software really is Eating the World, there needs to be a place that is dedicated to explaining & tracking it. So [@a16z is] building a new & separate media property...to be the go-to place for understanding & building the future.”👇 https…
I'm totally for companies building a direct channel with their audience. But also concerned it means sidelining different voices and tough conversations. Moves like this send a signal to the industry. My hope is that it's not: Life is better in an echo chamber. https://twitter.co…
6/ We're inviting outside voices to help explain the future. We don't have a monopoly on great ideas, so we need fellow builders, thinkers, and experts to join in. Our lens will always be rational optimism about tech and the future. We welcome all to contribute to this vision.
2/ Soon a16z partners began writing about all kinds of tech topics—from marketplaces to AI—as well as company building advice. Whenever we got the same question again and again from entrepreneurs, we blogged about it.
1/ Originally, blogging about our investments was a way to outline our thinking and share reputational risk with the founders. (Back then, it was common for investors to only talk about exits, when there was upside.)
7/ We're launching later this year. In the meantime, we'll be hiring and sharing more info on what to expect and how to contribute. Sign up here to get updates. https://info.a16z.com/...
3/ Having a direct channel was powerful. Founders felt supported and understood. People at big companies read our content to keep track of emerging tech.