MIAMI—Feb. 17, 2015— As the demand for media innovation in newsrooms continues to grow, Matter, the startup accelerator for early-stage media entrepreneurs launched in 2012 by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, KQED, and Public Radio Exchange (PRX), today announced four new partners: The Associated Press, A.H. Belo Corporation, Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. and The McClatchy Company. The new seven-organization partnership will allow Matter to strengthen and extend its accelerator program, which provides seed funding, educational workshops and mentoring to media entrepreneurs, building more informed and connected communities.
The new partnership features a powerful mix of international, national and local media organizations with a vast reach across television, radio, online and print. Startups selected to participate in Matter will have access to these networks, along with the chance to test and refine their ideas in a real-world setting. At the same time, Matter will work with partners directly to help introduce new innovations and business processes into newsrooms. Additionally, Matter will launch a seed investing initiative outside of its accelerator program for media entrepreneurs who show potential to make a positive impact on society, while pursing a sustainable, profitable business model.
“Since Matter was born two years ago, it has worked to become a driver of change in media—applying the best practices of entrepreneurship to meet new information needs,” said Ben Wirz, Knight Foundation director for venture investments. “This partnership is another important milestone in Matter’s growth. It signals a commitment from leading media organizations to explore a new way of bringing more innovation into newsrooms, helping to advance the future of media.”
“This is a powerful set of media partners that will be the wind at the backs of our early-stage entrepreneurs,” said Corey Ford, Matter’s managing partner. “Not only will our startups have access to great business opportunities, but they will also establish relationships with experienced media veterans who really get what we are doing and are aligned with our mission.”
“KQED has benefited significantly from being a Matter co-founding partner along with Knight,” said Tim Olson, KQED vice president for digital media and education. “We’ve piloted tools developed by Matter startups and have integrated Matter’s human-centered, prototype driven techniques into KQED’s product development process. Matter’s design thinking approach has been invaluable as we continue to adapt to serve the changing media needs of our audiences.”
Launched in 2012, Matter was selected as one of the top Silicon Valley accelerators by TechCrunch, Inc. and UIPalette and has a current portfolio of 19 media startups, including such ventures as GoPop, SpokenLayer, Contextly, ChannelMeter and Stringr. For each startup selected to its accelerator program, Matter invests seed capital and provides a 20-week program in its San Francisco SoMa district working space with some of the most influential minds working in technology and media today as mentors, speakers and participants. Each program culminates in Demo Days in San Francisco and New York for a select group of investors, media executives, mentors and members of the Matter community.
Corey Ford, who previously built the incubator Runway and was an award–winning film producer for the PBS series FRONTLINE, will continue as managing partner of Matter. Shazna Nessa, Knight Foundation director for journalism recently joined the Matter advisory board.
For more information on Matter, please visit matter.vc.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more information, please visit knightfoundation.org.
ABOUT KQED
KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. Home to the most listened-to public radio station in the nation, one of the highest rated public television services, and a leader in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration—exposing them to new people, places and ideas. KQED.org
ABOUT PRX
PRX is an award-winning public media company, harnessing innovative technology to bring significant stories to millions of people. PRX operates public radio’s largest distribution marketplace, offering thousands of audio stories for broadcast and digital use, including signature PRX programs like The Moth Radio Hour. PRX mobile apps for public media include This American Life, KCRW Music Mine and Public Radio Player. prx.org/about-us/press
About Associated Press
The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world’s population sees news from AP. ap.org
About A.H. Belo Corporation
A. H. Belo Corporation (NYSE: AHC) is a leading local news and information publishing company with commercial printing, distribution and direct mail capabilities, as well as businesses with expertise in emerging media and digital marketing. With a continued focus on extending our media platform, we are able to deliver news and information in innovative ways to new audiences with diverse interests and lifestyles. ahbelo.com
About Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.
Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. is one of the leading publishers of local news and information in the United States. Founded in 1997, CNHI’s newspapers, Web sites and niche publications serve more than 130 communities throughout the United States. CNHI publications strive to be leading providers of local news and information in their communities. CNHI values excellence, integrity, respect for employees and a customer focus in all of its operations. CNHI is a privately owned company based in Montgomery, AL. CNHI.com
About The McClatchy Company
The McClatchy Company is a 21st century news and information leader, publisher of iconic brands such as the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star, The Sacramento Bee, The Charlotte Observer, The (Raleigh) News and Observer, and the (Fort Worth) Star-Telegram. McClatchy operates media companies in 28 U.S. markets in 14 states, providing each of its communities with high-quality news and advertising services in a wide array of digital and print formats. McClatchy is headquartered in Sacramento, CA., and listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MNI. mcclatchy.com
CONTACTS:
Anusha Alikhan, director of communications, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 305-908-2677, [email protected]