Barely two years into its run as a well-financed local on-line news outlet, the Bay Citizen is having some profound problems.
Its CEO, Lisa Frazier, is leaving. This, on the heels of editor-in-chief Jonathan Weber’s departure last month.
When it first arrived in 2009, Bay Citizen was a well-monied, non-profit news organization founded by prominent financier, Warren Hellman. But the news site, which also supplants the Bay Area edition of the NY Times on Friday and Sunday is having a tough go.
Local Internet analysts insist TBC is OK for the short haul, but down the road faces numerous obstacles, not the least of which is attracting enough visitors to its site to make it sustainable. Time will tell.
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Rich, too much speculation and not enough facts. 17.5 million in funding to date. 375,000 unique visitors, coverage in the New York Times every Friday and Sunday, 6,000 members! That's not an org in trouble. It says that Frazier is leaving next year and will stay on the Board. Not an org in trouble.
ReplyDeleteShe was over her head having no experience running a company or even an organization. Outside of the editorial side- the organization lacks experience and credibility on all sides. Donate wisely- support KQED
ReplyDeleteBay Citizen is a news partner with KGO radio which gives both of us a boost. KGO gets some in-depth reporting and Bay Citizen is learning how to integrate the breaking news radio does so well. Bay Citizen has a decent shot at hanging in there. With the way journalism is today, it's worth a try!
ReplyDeleteMaybe so, but KGO is a "for profit" entity, so the "learning experience" may not be so insightful. They should partner with KQED, PBS and others in their field. Spending $400k on a CEO with zero experience is not a good start ($800k over two years is grounds for fraud!), and it's even something KGO doesn't do.
ReplyDeleteAlso, check out the "rumblings" on some other blogs about McKinsey getting paid over $1 million by Bay Citizen to help them get started..... headline should be- Consulting Company gets seven figures to appoint their own partner to a mid six figure salary to a new non profit despite no experience...... Irony anyone?
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