News Not Noise

What News Not Noise does

News Not Noise is a direct-to-consumer, social-first news operation founded in 2018 by former CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jessica Yellin and operated legally under the SAGE Media entity, governed by California law and headquartered in Los Angeles. The company's core product is daily news commentary and explainer content that distinguishes substantive stories from noise, delivered primarily through Instagram (Yellin's personal account @JessicaYellin) with secondary distribution on YouTube, a Substack newsletter, the 'Calm News' podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Its underlying technology is a multi-platform social media publishing stack built on consumer-grade distribution channels, supplemented by a Squarespace-hosted e-commerce storefront.

The business model blends several revenue streams: branded merchandise (hoodies, hats, mugs, tote bags, iPhone cases) priced $14.50–$54; one-time paid Zoom subscriber event passes at $25; tax-deductible donations processed via Fundrazr under a fiscal sponsorship arrangement with the Alternative Newsweekly Foundation (EIN 30-0100369); sales of Yellin's 2019 fiction novel 'Savage News' through major book retailers; and Substack newsletter subscriptions. There are no disclosed paid enterprise tiers, no institutional venture funding of material size, and no public revenue or ARR figures; operations run on a lean 1–10 employee team supplemented by an internship program.

The company serves news-anxious consumers seeking context-rich, expert-interview-driven coverage delivered on mobile and social platforms rather than traditional broadcast. Strategic posture is mission-driven and nonprofit-aligned through its fiscal sponsor, with growth focused on diversifying content formats (the April 2025 YouTube expansion) and deepening community monetization through merchandise and live events rather than scaling headcount or pursuing venture capital.

Name

News Not Noise

Legal name

SAGE Media

Website

https://newsnotnoise.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Digital News Media

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer News & Digital Newsrooms (Web/App-First) (MPAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

News Streaming Platforms (MPACAAAF)

Keywords

• Digital news media
• Social-first news
• News commentary
• News newsletter
• Online news community

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including hoodies, hats, mugs, tote bags, and phone cases through the company's e-commerce shop
2. Merchandise e-commerce: Direct-to-consumer merchandise sales with items priced from $14.50 to $54.00
3. Paid Subscriber Events: One-time Zoom passes sold for $25.00 to join paid subscriber community events with news discussions and Q&A
4. Donations and Support: Tax-deductible donations accepted through Fundrazr platform; organization is fiscally sponsored by Alternative Newsweekly Foundation
5. Book Sales (Savage News): Jessica Yellin's fiction novel Savage News available through major retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Strand Books, Book Soup, and others
6. Substack Newsletter: Newsletter subscription through Substack platform

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

News Not Noise operates a social-first news operation that breaks down the biggest daily news stories with context and clarity, distinguishing substantive news from noise. The core product is original short-form video news commentary distributed primarily on Instagram, with longer-form video on YouTube, a Substack newsletter, and the "Calm News" podcast on Spotify. Complementary revenue products include branded merchandise and the 2019 fiction novel "Savage News."

Product overview

News Not Noise is a social-first news operation founded by former CNN correspondent Jessica Yellin in 2018. The core offering is news content delivered primarily through Instagram videos and stories, with explainers that break down major news events with context and clarity. The company operates across multiple platforms including YouTube, Spotify, and Substack. The product portfolio includes: the core news commentary and explainer content distributed via social platforms; the 'Calm News' podcast available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts; the fiction novel 'Savage News' published in 2019; a merchandise line featuring branded apparel (hoodies, hats), drinkware (mugs), accessories (tote bags, iPhone cases); and paid community experiences including one-time Zoom passes for subscriber events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• News Not Noise News Commentary (Instagram/YouTube) Daily original news commentary, analysis, and explainer video content distributed via Instagram and YouTube that breaks down major news stories with context, distinguishing substantive news from noise, for individual news consumers.
• Substack Newsletter Subscription email newsletter delivering news analysis and contextual coverage to individual subscribers via the Substack platform.
• Calm News Podcast Audio podcast delivering calm, context-driven news discussion distributed on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for individual listeners.
• Savage News (Novel) A fiction novel by Jessica Yellin satirizing television news culture and the political media landscape, available through major retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others.
• One-Time Zoom Pass (Subscriber Event) A one-time paid Zoom event pass priced at $25.00 that grants subscriber access to live news discussion and Q&A sessions with Jessica Yellin.
• NNN Embroidered Logo Hoodie An organic cotton and recycled polyester hoodie with the NNN embroidered logo, available in black and white in sizes S to 2XL, priced at $54.00.
• NNN Logo Hat A 100% chino cotton twill dad hat with adjustable strap and curved visor, available in black, navy, and white, priced at $32.00.
• NNN Tote Bag A 100% polyester all-over-print tote bag with cotton webbing handles and a maximum weight limit of 44 lbs, priced at $36.00.
• NNN Good Morning Mug An 11oz ceramic mug with glossy finish that is dishwasher and microwave safe.
• NNN Mug A ceramic mug available in 11oz and 15oz sizes, dishwasher and microwave safe with vivid print.
• NNN iPhone Case A BPA-free hybrid TPU and polycarbonate iPhone case with a solid back, wireless charging compatible, available for iPhone models 7 through 13, priced at $17.00.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grown into super-engaged community across multiple platforms since 2018 launch

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Skimm: Digital-first news brand targeting millennial/Gen-X consumers with curated, context-rich daily news delivered via newsletter and social channels; comparable in mission of simplifying news for time-constrained audiences.
• NowThis: Social-first video news publisher built around vertical short-form video on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube; comparable in platform-native distribution strategy and audience engagement model.
• Katie Couric Media: Founder-led news brand from a former network journalist producing newsletters, videos, and interviews; directly comparable as a celebrity-journalist-led digital news platform targeting informed general audiences.

Others

• Substack: Newsletter platform that powers News Not Noise's primary email channel; comparable as the underlying publishing infrastructure and ecosystem for independent journalist-led news brands.

Broad incumbents

• Vox: Larger digital newsroom emphasizing explanatory journalism and context; comparable in mission of providing substantive context-rich news rather than just headlines.
• The Daily Beast: Digital-first news outlet combining original reporting with aggregated coverage aimed at engaged news consumers; comparable in tone and online-first distribution.
• Puck News: Founder-journalist-led subscription news brand covering politics and media industry with newsletter-first distribution; comparable in founder-led, paid-subscriber digital news positioning.
• Morning Brew: Newsletter-led news brand built on accessible, contextualized daily news for professionals; comparable in daily-newsletter-plus-merchandise monetization model and tone.
• BBC News (US audience): Established public-interest news outlet that News Not Noise has been featured in and emulates tonally; comparable in mission of unbiased, factual news reporting at scale.

Emerging players

• Megyn Kelly Show / Independent Journalist Brands: Independent journalist-led news and commentary brand monetized through subscriptions, YouTube, and merchandise; comparable in celebrity-host-driven independent media business model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/NewsNotNoise
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewsNotNoise
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newsnotnoise
• Instagraminstagram.com/jessicayellin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about News Not Noise