Andreessen Horowitz's Future doesn't compete with journalism because it offers up essays, not reporting, limiting its potential to promote tech-positive views
I've been dragging my feet on writing about Andreessen Horowitz's much-anticipated new publication, which the firm revealed Tuesday.
The distinction matters because Future's essay-led format gives Andreessen Horowitz a direct channel for technology and business arguments without creating a reporting operation that competes on newsgathering.
First-order effects
Andreessen Horowitz gains a branded outlet for editorial and informational work from employees and outside contributors, following the launch of Future as a media property.
Journalism outlets do not face a like-for-like reporting rival from Future; its immediate role is distribution of a16z-aligned perspectives rather than original news reporting.
Second-order effects
Outside contributors and technology audiences gain another venue for opinion and analysis, while a16z can communicate its views without relying as heavily on independent media coverage.
The separation between essays and reporting preserves a clearer distinction for readers between investor-backed advocacy and independently reported technology news.
Third-order effects
If firms continue building owned editorial channels while reducing cooperation with reporters, technology discourse may become more fragmented between company-backed analysis and independent reporting.
Investor-owned media efforts are likely to compete primarily for attention, contributors, and narrative influence rather than for the reporting functions of a newsroom.
The trend: Technology investors are increasingly building owned publishing channels to shape industry narratives directly, even when those channels do not replicate journalism.
a16z's new in-house VC propaganda pseudo-media sounds eerily reminiscent of crypto “media”: even when it pretends the mission isn't boosterism, it's boosterism; nothing that might actually rock the boat (e.g. VC-funded companies abusing employees) gets in https://www.newcomer.co/…
Oh hey look a reasonable take from someone who does good work and doesn't feel threatened by someone's else totally different and good work https://www.newcomer.co/... @EricNewcomer is very much worth subscribing for. Don't agree with everything he writes but at least he is hones…
Content is not journalism, and the surprising confusion even among v smart people about @a16z's ‘Future’, is representative of a wider issue that we don't understand, let alone respect, the sanctity of journalism anymore. Great piece by @EricNewcomer: https://www.newcomer.co/...
✍️ @a16z built a precision earned media content farm over the years: blogs, essays, podcasts, newsletters, events, etc. 🤔Why? 🔮Perhaps a content farm gets more deal flow than tech finance journalists questioning investment theses for a post-biomimicry crypto paradigm “future” htt…
@gaberivera they're a source, and there's a ton of value in them going direct to people who care about what they do, rather than only going through journalists. some gets lost by using an intermediary. and it provides great source material to the reporters. cc @TaylorLorenz
BTW, I really doubt we'll see VC firms ever “reporting” on companies competing with their portfolio, which is...most reporting in tech. Though it would be super fun if they did!
Yeah, it's gonna be really hard to reach enough people to bend the conversation in the tech-positive direction if you're not at least riffing on the news of the day (never mind reporting). https://twitter.com/...
https://www.newcomer.co/... I can't stop laughing at this piece because it's like “it's good to have a media that questions power” but also dismisses the complaints about Away as “controversial” and based on “comments from disgruntled employees” dismissively
I'd like to think those distinctions matter to people. But seeing how “alternative” media works in the political world, I don't think many people outside big-J journalism circles will care about the difference. To them, a hot take is just another type of reporting. https://twitte…
“If you're celebrating cutting out the media, then you're giving powerful people aircover to thumb their nose at impertinent questions that you too would probably like the answer to.” Andreessen Horowitz and the ‘Future’ of Media, by @EricNewcomer https://www.newcomer.co/...