As Journalism Evolves, Startups Pick Up the Pieces

By: Tom Risen | U.S. News & World Report

Internet use has boomed since 2007, but during that time more than 30 percent of newspaper reporters, around 17,000 positions nationwide, saw their jobs eliminated, according to the Pew Research Center. Those jobs might never come back, but the decapitation of this industry has not stopped entrepreneurs from trying to rebuild journalism for the Web.

Venture capital-funded Vox Media has launched or acquired seven online media properties, including sports-focused SBNation.com and technology news site The Verge, which have succeeded by selling advertising to specific audiences.