Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Non-profit

News Revenue Hub

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The News Revenue Hub (NRH) is a nonprofit consulting organization that helps news outlets and other publications generate and increase revenue from readers. The organization touts its work with numerous left-of-center projects, including The Intercept, a left-wing investigative publication; the Center for Public Integrity, a watchdog group that has targeted Republicans; and PolitiFact, a fact-checking resource that has faced criticism for left-leaning bias. 1

NRH was launched in 2016 as a project of Voice of San Diego, a left-leaning local nonprofit news service. 2 Since its founding, the organization has become independent and helped its clients raise at least $25 million in donations from readers. 34

Strategy

NRH makes a distinction between subscribers, who pay to access content, and members, who contribute voluntarily because they want to support an outlet. The organization encourages its clients to focus on attracting members by building a large, loyal reader base. NRH also recommends website features, newsletter formats, and social media strategies that it claims research suggests will make readers more likely to become subscribers or members. 5

Clients

NRH provides consulting services to both local news sources and national outlets. The organization has promoted its work with The Intercept, the Center for Public Integrity, and PolitiFact. 6

The Intercept is an investigative outlet with an editorial stance to the left of mainstream Democratic Party positions. It started out as a platform for reporting based on the classified information leaked by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, which revealed evidence of large-scale surveillance of Americans by US intelligence agencies. Since then, it has published reporting based on other leaks, particularly those that allegedly demonstrate unethical or illegal activity by the US government. The Intercept also publishes reporting that promotes far-left environmental and economic policies. 7

The Center for Public Integrity is an investigative journalism organization that claims to be nonpartisan but mostly targets right-of-center government officials and public figures. The Center has faced criticism for using legally-questionable methods to obtain information and for demonstrating a left-of-center bias. 8

PolitiFact is a website that publishes fact-checks of statements by government officials and public figures. Right-of-center news sources have criticized the website, claiming that it refuses to label inaccurate statements from Democrats as “false” while using deceptive practices to exacerbate the number and severity of inaccurate statements by Republicans. 910

Leadership

Mary Walter-Brown is the founder and chief executive officer of NRH. She previously worked as the publisher and chief operating officer of Voice of San Diego, a left-leaning nonprofit news organization that was News Revenue Hub’s parent company, where she created a membership program that grew the organization’s annual revenue by nearly $1 million. 11

Tristan Loper is the co-founder and chief operating officer of NRH. He previously worked as digital director at Voice of San Diego and worked on digital media at the University of California, San Diego. 12

Christina Shih is the senior vice president of business development at NRH. She previously managed the Voice of San Diego membership program. Daniel Craigmille is the vice president of technology at NRH. He previously worked as the chief technology and security officer for the Texas Tribune. Evan Mackinder is the vice president of member development at NRH. He previously worked as a senior audience editor at the left-of-center online magazine Slate. 13

Financials

NRH had a total revenue of just under $420,000 in 2017, but more than $1.9 million in 2018. Most of the organization’s revenue comes from donations and grants. 14

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism has awarded NRH at least $100,000 in grants, and the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation gave the organization $50,000 in 2019. 1516 NRH has also received at least three grants from the left-of-center Democracy Fund. 171819 Other donors include the John and Florence Newman Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Rita Allen Foundation. 20

References

  1.        “What the News Revenue Hub has learned about helping news organizations drive reader revenue.” Local Media Association. Accessed April 19, 2021.

    What the News Revenue Hub has learned about helping news organizations drive reader revenue

  2.             “News Revenue Hub.” Institute for Nonprofit News. Accessed April 19, 2021.

    News Revenue Hub

  3.        “News Revenue Hub.” Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation. Accessed April 19, 2021.

    News Revenue Hub

  4. News Revenue Hub, “Voice of San Diego is expanding its News Revenue Hub to support more newsrooms in developing memberships,” June 6, 2017. Accessed April 19, 2017. Voice of San Diego is expanding its News Revenue Hub to support more newsrooms in developing memberships – News Revenue Hub (fundjournalism.org)
  5.        Thomas Goss. “How News Revenue Hub Helps Publishers to Monetize Content and Achieve Financial Sustainability.” MobiLoud. Accessed April 19, 2021.
  6.      “What the News Revenue Hub has learned about helping news organizations drive reader revenue.” Local Media Association. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://www.localmedia.org/what-the-news-revenue-hub-has-learned-about-helping-news-organizations-drive-reader-revenue/
  7.        Amanda C. Coyne. “What is The Intercept, the website that published leaked NSA report?” Atlanta Journal-Constitution. December 29, 2017. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://www.ajc.com/news/local/what-the-intercept-the-website-that-published-leaked-nsa-report/BBy8wdRAI4jOGnwCvPZ2LM/
  8.            Keach Hagey. “Tuna and turmoil at CPI.” Politico. December 5, 2011. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://www.politico.com/story/2011/12/tuna-and-turmoil-at-cpi-069763
  9.             Gregg Re. “PolitiFact hammered for avoiding ruling on Warren, Harris claim Michael Brown was murdered.” Fox News. August 15, 2019. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/politifact-hammered-for-avoiding-ruling-on-warren-harris-falsehood-concerning-michael-browns-death
  10.        Matt Shapiro. “Running The Data On PolitiFact Shows Bias Against Conservatives.” The Federalist. December 16, 2016. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://thefederalist.com/2016/12/16/running-data-politifact-shows-bias-conservatives/
  11.          “Our Mission.” News Revenue Hub. Accessed April 19, 2021.

    About the Hub

  12.             “Our Mission.” News Revenue Hub. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://fundjournalism.org/about/
  13.           “Our Mission.” News Revenue Hub. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://fundjournalism.org/about/
  14. “News Revenue Hub Inc.” ProPublica. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/821553008
  15.             “News Revenue Hub.” Lenfest Institute. Accessed April 19, 2021.

    News Revenue Hub

  16.        “Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation Awards $1.2 Million.” Philanthropy News Digest. August 17, 2019. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/ethics-and-excellence-in-journalism-foundation-awards-1.2-million
  17.     “News Revenue Hub.” Democracy Fund. Accessed April 19, 2021.

    News Revenue Hub

  18.        “News Revenue Hub.” Democracy Fund. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://democracyfund.org/grant/news-revenue-hub-2/
  19.        “News Revenue Hub.” Democracy Fund. Accessed April 19, 2021.

    News Revenue Hub

  20.        “Frequently Asked Questions.” News Revenue Hub. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://fundjournalism.org/faq/
  See an error? Let us know!