Edited by: TJVNews.com
Seems like a new global news organization may be on the horizon. According to a New York Times report, the Grey Lady’s media columnist to leaving the paper for other opportunities in the world of news reportage.
The Times’ Smith is joining yet another Smith as they team up for this venture. Ben Smith will be working with Justin Smith, who, according to the NYT is leaving his position as chief executive of Bloomberg Media.
In an interview with Ben Smith, the Times reported that the two media veterans are planning to create a global newsroom that “broke news and experimented with new formats of storytelling.”
The NYT reported that Smith provided scant details on what beats would be covered or the regions that the organization will focus on. He also did not inform the Times on what their fundraising goals were or when the new organization would launch.
Ben Smith said in an interview that they planned to build a global newsroom that broke news and experimented with new formats of storytelling. He did not provide details on what beats or regions would be covered, how much money they planned to raise or when the new organization would start.
The Times also reported that Ben Smith, who is not related to Justin Smith of Bloomberg told the paper that, “There are 200 million people who are college educated, who read in English, but who no one is really treating like an audience, but who talk to each other and talk to us That’s who we see as our audience.”
According to the interview, Ben Smith, 45, will be the top editor at the new organization and Justin Smith, 52, will handle the business end.
Ben Smith had previously been a Politico reporter before doing an eight year stint as BuzzFeed’s editor in chief. Smith then joined the NYT in 2020.
In an e-mail sent to the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, Justin Smith said: “The news industry is facing a crisis in consumer trust and confidence due to the distorting influence of social media and rising levels of polarization and parochialism. My plan is to launch a premium news business that serves unbiased journalism to a global audience and provides a high-quality platform for the best journalists in the world.”
In an interview, Ben Smith said: “There’s been a change in the relationship between journalists and institutions in the same way there’s been a change in the relationship between talent and institutions in the entertainment industry. He said that he didn’t know when his last day at the New York Times would be.
The WSJ reported that Michael Bloomberg, the founder of financial-data colossus Bloomberg LP, said in a statement that Scott Havens, Bloomberg Media’s chief growth officer and global head of strategic partnerships, would become the division’s new CEO. Justin Smith will remain at Bloomberg as an adviser in the coming months to assist with the transition.
Justin Smith joined Bloomberg Media is 2013.
“Across his tenure, Justin and his team delivered exceptional results powered by product innovations, with 2021 representing the high-water mark in terms of Bloomberg Media’s historical performance,” Mike Bloomberg said.
The Times reported that in a tweet in which he announced that he was leaving his position at Bloomberg, Justin Smith said he was leaving “to pursue a personal dream, and a market opportunity.”
