In the 16 months since the news startup Billy Penn launched, the media landscape in Philadelphia, the site’s home city, has changed dramatically. The major dailies made a radical shift to a nonprofit model, the alt-weekly City Paper was shuttered, the public radio station lost experienced leadership, and other digital startups went live, making their own bid for local readers.
Through all the turmoil, Billy Penn has stayed true to its vision: mobile-first, millennial-friendly, a mix of aggregated and original content, and a big bet on live events. Though it hasn’t paid off with profitability yet, CEO Jim Brady says the business plan is on target—and while the site is still developing its niche, Brady and Chris Krewson, Billy Penn’s editor, can make a good case that the editorial model is working as they intended, too.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here