Metric Media
Metric Media LLC is a digital company founded in 2019 in Harrisonville, Missouri which publishes more than 1,200 "local news" websites and e-mail newsletters on behalf of the non-profit Metric Media Foundation (MMF), including 19 in Alabama.
The Columbia Journalism Review investigated the finances of the Metric Media Foundation based on their 2019 Internal Revenue Service filing. They found a "core network" of five companies involved in operating the media business, and found that they were funded primarily by conservative political action committees and policy organizations such as DonorsTrust. The articles published within the network of sites relied heavily on algorithmically-generated content based on public data sources, and verbatim republication of news releases. Other coverage was found to heavily promote the policy goals special-interest organizations which have funded the project. Those factors supported a characterization of Metric Media as "pink-slime journalism."
The business was founded by Bradley Cameron as an outgrowth of his "Situation Management Group" (SMG), a communications and brand management consultancy that also does business as "National Grassroots & Communication" (NGRC). The technical structure for the media company was developed under the leadership of Brian Timpone, the head of Newsinator, which also does business as DirectTech LLC and as Franklin Archer. Local Government Information Services (LGIS), a company founded by Timpone and PAC chair Dan Proft, absorbed Newsinator's first batch of outlets in Illinois in 2016.
Birmingham area outlets
The Metric Media sites associated with the Birmingham / Central Alabama area include:
- Auburn Times
- East Central Alabama News
- Gadsden Today
- Jefferson Reporter
- North Birmingham Times
- South Birmingham Times
- Tuscaloosa Leader
- West Central Alabama News
- Yellowhammer Times
References
- Dumke, Mike & Tina Sfondeles (February 8, 2016) "As Conservative Group Grows In Influence, Financial Dealings Enrich Its Leaders." ProPublica / Chicago Sun-Times'
- Bengani, Priyanjana (August 4, 2020) "As election looms, a network of mysterious ‘pink slime’ local news outlets nearly triples in size." Columbia Journalism Review
- Davey, Alba & Jack Nicas (October 18, 2020) "As Local News Dies, a Pay-for-Play Network Rises in Its Place." The New York Times
- Bengani, Priyanjana (October 14, 2021) "The Metric Media network runs more than 1,200 local news sites. Here are some of the non-profits funding them." Columbia Journalism Review
- Bengani, Priyanjana (October 14, 2021) "Advocacy groups and Metric Media collaborate on local ‘community news’." Columbia Journalism Review