MediaShift

What MediaShift does

MediaShift is a privately held digital media company founded in 2006 and operated as MediaShift LLC, headquartered in San Francisco. It operates a network of specialized content verticals — the flagship MediaShift publication covering digital disruption of traditional media, EducationShift (journalism education), MetricShift (media metrics and impact measurement), and Idea Lab — supplemented by a weekly podcast distributed via SoundCloud, iTunes and Stitcher, email newsletters, and in-person events including workshops, hackathons, and roundtables at industry conferences such as ONA and ISOJ. Since 2015 it has run DigitalEd, a series of live online media trainings delivered through the BigMarker platform in partnership with journalism schools, with archived sessions priced at $19 each; in April 2018 it extended this into the DigitalEd Peer-to-Peer Network, a facilitated training community for publishers built on Slack and Zoom with curriculum support from Facebook and Google and funding from the Knight Foundation via the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University.

The business model is hybrid: free, sponsorship-supported editorial content targeted at a niche audience of media professionals, journalists, journalism educators, students and nonprofit publishers; paid micro-ticket training fees; foundation grants underwriting programmatic initiatives (Knight Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation via BAVC); MediaShift Studio providing editorial, video/audio, native advertising, sponsored content, consulting and event production services to outside clients such as Poynter Institute and Digital Content Next; and content licensing plus display advertising. The underlying technology stack is straightforward and non-proprietary: a WordPress-based multi-site content management system, BigMarker for webinar delivery, Slack for peer community, and Zoom for synchronous training. The company is led by founder and Executive Director Mark Glaser with a core staff of roughly 8–10 people, and as of May 2018 it has placed its website, newsletters and podcast on hiatus while exploring a sale to a journalism school, association or media company.

Name

MediaShift

Legal name

MediaShift LLC

Website

https://mediashift.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

MediaShift is a privately held digital media company, founded in 2006, that publishes editorial content, podcasts, and online trainings covering digital disruption of media, serving journalists, journalism educators, students, and nonprofit news publishers, and is currently on hiatus pending a potential sale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Media Publishing and Journalism Training

NAICS

Publishing Industries (513)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Stock Media, Asset Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms (BPAMAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Communications, Media Studies & Journalism (EDAGABAK)

Keywords

• Digital media analysis
• Journalism training
• Media technology news
• Editorial production services
• Newsroom education

Headquarters

HQ city

Fleurance

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Training and Education Services: DigitalEd online trainings using BigMarker platform. Archived trainings cost $19 each. Also includes free sponsored online panels. Since 2015, providing online trainings for mid-career professionals, academics, and students on digital skills including Facebook Live, Snapchat, podcasting, and more.
2. Sponsorships: Sponsorship opportunities across MediaShift and associated properties including EducationShift, MetricShift, weekly podcasts, events, and DigitalEd webinars. Targets highly engaged audience of media professionals including journalists, advertisers, educators, and influencers.
3. MediaShift Studio: Editorial services including writing, editing, video/audio production, native advertising, sponsored content, consulting, and event planning for outside companies and publishers.
4. Content Licensing: Licensing of MediaShift content to third-party publishers, often for a fee. Contact Mark Glaser for licensing information.
5. Advertising: Display advertisements on MediaShift LLC pages as part of revenue generation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MediaShift operates a multi-vertical digital media network providing news, analysis, podcasts, and online trainings on the intersection of media and technology. Its core offerings include the MediaShift news site and affiliated verticals (EducationShift, MetricShift, Idea Lab), the MediaShift Podcast, DigitalEd paid online trainings, DigitalEd Peer-to-Peer Network facilitated groups, MediaShift Studio editorial and production services, MediaShift Events, and email newsletters. Revenue is generated through sponsorships, advertising, training fees, content licensing, and custom editorial work for media companies, publishers, and journalism schools.

Product overview

MediaShift is a media company offering a network of digital publications and services focused on the intersection of media and technology. The portfolio consists of the core MediaShift site (news and analysis), along with specialized vertical sites including MetricShift (media analytics and impact measurement), EducationShift (journalism education innovation), and the MediaShift Podcast (weekly audio coverage). Supporting products include DigitalEd online trainings via BigMarker platform, MediaShift Studio (content production services), MediaShift Events (in-person workshops and hackathons), and email newsletters. The company is currently on hiatus considering a sale to a journalism school, association, or media company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EducationShift: Education section focused on innovation in journalism education, including bi-weekly Twitter chats at #EdShift, mixers, workshops, and webinars for educators.
• MetricShift
• MediaShift Studio
• DigitalEd

Products and services

• MediaShift The main MediaShift website providing news and analysis at the intersection of media and technology, covering how traditional media deals with digital disruption and adapts business models. Targeted at journalists, editors, educators, and publishers.
• MediaShift Podcast Weekly podcast covering media and technology news, featuring interviews with industry professionals and analysis of digital media trends. Distributed via SoundCloud, iTunes, and Stitcher.
• DigitalEd Series of live and archived online media trainings on digital skills such as Facebook Live, Snapchat, podcasting, and analytics, targeted at mid-career professionals, academics, and students. Archived sessions priced at $19 each.
• DigitalEd Peer-to-Peer Network Facilitated peer training program for news publishers, with Slack channels, monthly Zoom trainings, and direct access to Facebook and Google curriculum. Participants include WGBH, Reveal, PublicSource, The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting, The Hechinger Report, Louisville Public Media, NJ Spotlight, and Berkeleyside.
• MediaShift Studio
• MediaShift Events
• MediaShift Newsletters

Quantifiable outcome

• Weekly podcast reaching media professionals
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for administering Knight Foundation funding and supporting peer training programs for news publishers. Provides administrative infrastructure and coordination for the DigitalEd Peer-to-Peer Network.
• Institute for Nonprofit News (INN)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting peer training groups for publishers. Helps connect nonprofit news organizations with peer training opportunities.
• Local Independent Online News Publishers (LION)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization representing local independent online news publishers. Supports peer training initiatives and connects members with MediaShift's training programs.
• Lenfest InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting journalism sustainability initiatives and peer training programs for publishers.
• FacebooksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTech platform partner providing curriculum, online training modules, and support for peer group 'stumper' questions. Also provides quarterly online trainings to peer groups. Part of broader platform-publisher support ecosystem.
• GooglesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTech platform partner providing curriculum and training support for peer groups, similar to Facebook partnership. Provides online training modules and support for publisher community.
• Poynter InstituteminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEvent production client for whom MediaShift Events has helped produce events. Represents a client relationship rather than strategic partnership.
• Digital Content NextminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEvent production client for whom MediaShift Events has helped produce events. Client relationship for event planning and production services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Columbia Journalism Review (CJR): Industry analysis publication covering journalism and media industry developments. Directly comparable editorial mission to MediaShift's coverage of media/technology disruption.
• Digiday: Digital media industry publication covering how media companies are adapting to digital disruption. Closely comparable to MediaShift's core coverage of legacy-to-digital media transitions.
• Poynter Institute: Journalism education, training, and media analysis organization. Comparable to MediaShift in offering training programs (similar to DigitalEd) and industry analysis for journalists and news publishers.
• Nieman Lab: Harvard-affiliated publication covering journalism innovation and the future of media. Directly comparable to MediaShift's editorial mission of analyzing media/technology intersection for journalism professionals.

Broad incumbents

• Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy: Harvard Kennedy School research center studying media, politics, and technology. Comparable in research-and-analysis focus on media/technology intersection, though academic rather than editorial in orientation.
• Pew Research Center's Journalism Project: Research initiative producing data-driven analysis of news media trends. Comparable to MetricShift's media-metrics and impact-measurement focus, though operating at significantly larger scale with foundation funding.
• Nieman Foundation: Harvard-based journalism fellowship and education institution. Comparable in mission to MediaShift's journalism-education focus (EducationShift and DigitalEd) though operating at a much larger institutional scale.
• Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Oxford-based research institute studying journalism and digital media. Comparable in mission of analyzing media industry transformation, though operating with academic resources far exceeding MediaShift's.

Emerging players

• Online News Association (ONA): Professional association for digital journalists offering training, conferences, and community. Comparable to MediaShift's events and DigitalEd training programs serving the same digital-journalism community.

Others

• Knight Foundation: Major funder of journalism innovation and a current partner of MediaShift. Relevant as a strategic stakeholder and potential acquirer category in MediaShift's current sale process, rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mediashiftorg
• YouTubesoundcloud.com/mediashift
• Facebookfacebook.com/mediashift

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 MediaShift