CNN Invests in Outside.In

I've been saying for a while now that for outside.in, 2009 has been the year of building platforms. We spent the first months of the year building out our Outside.in For Publishers platform, which is now used by more than a hundred news organizations around the country. This fall, we brought our core site over onto a new, lightning-fast architecture that enabled true geographic search. And now, this morning the Wall Street Journal is running the news that we've just closed a $7 million B round that gives us a financial platform for the next few years.

But the most exciting part of the announcement is the participation of CNN, who are both investing in the round and adopting the outside.in platform for their local coverage on CNN.com. Having such a respected news organization as a partner and investor is obviously a big deal for us. Specifically, it's a vote of confidence in the platform we've built at outside.in, but perhaps more important it's an endorsement of hyperlocal and the ecosystem model of news that many of us have been championing for years now.  I've been hugely impressed with KC Estenson and the whole CNN.com team through this  process; they really have a great gasp of what we're trying to do, and a wealth of experience that we have already begun to benefit from. I think it must be in their corporate DNA -- after all, they wrote the original book on entrepreneurial journalism and news aggregation thirty years ago.

Our CEO Mark Josephson and I have been working on this financing and partnership for five months now, so personally this morning is an exciting milestone for me. Having spent the year building a platform for the hyperlocal economy, I can't wait to see what gets built on top of that platform in 2010. If you'd like to help, we have a long list of open positions at outside.in that we are actively filling; the full list is here.

Comments

[Scott Yates]

Always amazing how the Wall St. Journal can even scoop people on their own blog.

I'm guessing that was part of your plan. Your blog is great, but I suspect a few more people read the WSJ.

Anyway, great news! Congratulations to you and the whole team.

[Letwits]

Congrats, but, have you watched CNN lately, i.e., in the last five years? Be careful your IQ doesn't go down five points every month you're in biz with them.

[Peter Herr]

Congrats on your successes with outside.in. keep on chuggin! we are rooting for u.

i started reading the few pages (that amazon lets) me of your book "Everything is good is bad for you". I had to laugh. Im from lancaster county (and im not amish! im tired of the jokes!!!) and i can recall ever since i can remember, we would drive down millersville road right past APBA and i always wondered what in the heck that building was... what do they do there?? My mothers answer "they make board games" simply would not suffice.

My best memories of that intersection are from Charlestown park (across the street) where I would play pick up basketball during my HS years. Don't get me started (I could talk all day about my incredible learning experiences at that park and all the interesting people I met).

Amazon won't let me continue to read on, so I just might have to pick up your book. Again- best of luck with outside.in. i already searched my hometown and found a great article.

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Have such respect for partners and investors, news organizations for us is clearly a big problem. Specifically, this is a platform we build confidence in outside.in, but perhaps more importantly, it is a and hyperlocal, as well as news, many of our eco-system model has been advocated by many years. I have been impressed with the huge aircraft KC Estenson and the CNN.com team through the process, they really have what we are trying to do a great breath, and rich experience, we have begun to benefit from it. I think it must be in their company's DNA - after all, they said 30 years ago, business news and information aggregation in the original book.

[Nat Irvin]

Steven,

I am currently reading Ghost Map! It is an absolutely wonderful book. I have read Emergence and Everything...and heard several of your talks. Thanks for sharing your wonderful insights with others. I hate it when your books end.

Nat Irvin