Beyond The Wall Street Journal and New York Times: Five Growing Media Outlets That Belong on Your Media List

I was stopped at a PA Turnpike rest stop last week, gassing up for the final leg of my trip back to Philadelphia. As I began pumping, the video monitor at the pump sprang to life. I prepared myself to tune out, when an entirely unexpected thing happened.

Clever business factoids – news that I actually cared about – were being reported. I perked up, curious to identify the source. How surprised I was to see that I was watching a broadcast from Cheddar News, a live-streaming business news network that launched in 2016.

When I started my career in corporate communications three decades ago, there was a long-running joke that every CEO or client wanted only one thing from their communications team: “Get me in The Wall Street Journal.”

While there is still plenty of demand for top-tier media coverage, it’s time to educate yourself on the plethora of alternative media outlets – many on the Internet – that are growing in followers.

Here are five expanding media outlets that might be good candidates for your next media list.

  1. Cheddar News

Once you get past the cheesy (sorry) name, you can’t help but be impressed by the energy of Cheddar News. A live-streaming financial news network, Cheddar broadcasts daily from multiple locations, including the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and the White House. Cheddar covers the latest in business, culture, media, technology, and innovation.

If you’re struck by its young vibe, that’s no accident: 60 percent of its estimated 6.5 million viewers are under the age of 35. One observer called it a “quasi-CNBC for millennials.” And like many media properties targeting a younger demographic, Cheddar is very active on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter.

  1. ProPublica

ProPublica is an independent, non-profit, award-winning newsroom that produces “investigative journalism with moral force.” It focuses on illuminating abuses of power and betrayals of public trust. Its audience skews older, educated and liberal.

In 2010, it became the first online news source to win a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the harrowing days confronting the medical team at a New Orleans hospital marooned during Hurricane Katrina (and it’s been made into a new mini-series called “Five Days at Memorial” just released on Apple+).

Given that ProPublica is probably not the type of media outlet most of us would like to see our organization or client profiled in, why should it be on your radar? First, it’s great journalism. Second, if you get a call from one of its reporters, you’ll be prepared for the type of story they may be developing. But third, this outlet needs expert sources just as other outlets do. If your client is an expert on an industry or topic being covered by ProPublica, you owe it to yourself to know them.

  1. Insider

Insider – formerly known as Business Insider – seems to be growing in familiarity; many clients already know of it when we mention the online media company. Known primarily for its financial news website, Insider views CNBC, Bloomberg, Forbes, and The New York Times as its biggest competitors (which is reason enough to consider them for your media list).

In addition to major financial stories, Insider also covers food, travel, design, beauty, art, health, and culture, all designed to appeal to its largely millennial audience of 55 million. It has been described as a less trendy younger brother of BuzzFeed, Vice and HuffPost.

  1. Axios

Axios, on the other hand, is an outlet we often need to explain to clients. Founded in 2016, Axios is an American news website that produces “smart, efficient news, worthy of your time, attention, and trust.” It covers local news, politics, health, climate, tech, media, business, sports, world, and more.

Axios is made to be skimmed; it keeps everything short and sweet. Major stories include a headline and lede, a “why it matters,” and the option to go deeper. Most articles are 300 words or less and make liberal use of bullet points. Axios delivers the facts in as few words as possible and relies on experts (PR pros, take note!) to provide analysis.

Its audience of 16.8 million falls primarily into two, younger demographics of 25 – 34 and 35 – 44. It has a partnership with NBC and considers AP, Politico and The Hill its biggest competitors. If you’re based in one of the 24 cities in which Axios produces a daily, local newsletter, be sure to sign up.

  1. Politico

The final suggestion is Politico, an outlet you might be tempted to overlook because of its heavy focus on politics. But, an early mission statement for the publication reads, “We will embrace the way journalism is changing.” And, Politico certainly has. One of the first online news outlets to report on lawmakers, Politico has evolved into an outlet that now explores the intersection of policy, politics and power, creating ample opportunities to pitch expert sources. A recent healthcare story on the government’s COVID response included a quote from an emergency physician. (A reminder that expert sources can weigh in on “political” stories without getting political themselves.)

Politico’s audience of 30.4 million skews younger (its largest demographic – 21 percent – is 25 – 34). It views The Hill and The Washington Post as its biggest competitors. It’s very active on social media, especially Twitter.

As always, do your homework and never pitch blindly. Invest the time in learning about a journalist and the types of stories she covers. But do stay current on media outlets that fall outside of the mainstream media. You may find good opportunities that will put your client in front of a new audience.

What outlets would you add to this list?