NowThis

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NowThis
FoundedSeptember 2012; 12 years ago (2012-09)
FoundersKenneth Lerer
Eric Hippeau
Brian Bedol
Fred Harman
Headquarters
New York City, New York, U.S.
Key people
Sharon Mussalli (CEO)
WebsiteNowMedia Network

NowThis Media is an American progressive[1][2] social media-focused media organization founded in 2012.[3][4][5] The company is specialized in creating short-form videos.[6] Their target audience are Gen Z and Millennials.[7]

In April 2023 NowThis was purchased by the non profit Accelerate Change[8] and in December of the same year announced that Sharon Mussalli was appointed as their first female CEO[9].  In March of 2024 Adweek announced the creation of NowMedia Networks, an identity driven media network reaching 190 million people that is the combination of publishers NowThis, PushBlack, Pulso, ParentsTogether, Feminist, and PlusMas.[10] NowMedia Networks is overseen by Sharon Mussalli, with Sales leadership from Matthew Grandchamp and Brand and Creative Development leadership from Catherine Schuler.

NowThis’s commitment to relevancy with young audiences was further underscored in September 2024 when Deadline covered the announcement of their new Editor-in-Chief, Michael Vito Valentino, [11]whose expertise in social first content at MTV and Fallen Media resulted in 5B+ views. Sharon Mussalli explained this dedication to orientating content towards young audiences: “The reason why we’re keen on programming to young audiences is because the density of their social graphs with the network effects of those social spheres creates virality.”

This announcement also introduced a new strategy for the brand with development of social first vertical original series. Michael Vito Valentino explained, “We won’t just be working with creators, we’ll be developing them. We’ll do more than just keep up with our audience’s viewing habits, we’ll help shape them. It’s the same bite-sized content our followers are used to, with clarified and curated verticals. I’m beyond excited to share some of the incredible things we already have in the works.”

In October 2024 NowThis received wide coverage from outlets including Deadline,[12] Adage,[13] The Drum,[14] Business Wire,[15] Us Weekly[16] and What’s Trending[17] with the announcement of their inaugural Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is made up of tastemakers and business leaders with unique understanding of the GenZ audience.  The board will offer guidance as NowThis develops new content formats, ranging from pop culture to issue-oriented stories that align with Gen Z values, for their 74 million followers across platforms. Members include: Gen-ZiNE founder, Anushka Joshi, #paid editorial lead Emmy Liederman, TikTokstar and DJ Griffin Maxwell Brooks, founding member at Squared Circles and Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient Karan Jerath, and Executive at next Gen Practice at UTA Shaina Zafar.[12]

"The board helps us identify emerging trends and provides valuable input on how to approach storytelling," says Valentino. "They're also instrumental in ensuring that our content feels authentic and speaks to the issues Gen Z cares about most. It's about creating a feedback loop where we're not only responding to trends but anticipating them."[12]

  1. ^ Segers, Grace (August 25, 2018). "Beto O'Rourke says "nothing more American" than to stand up or take a knee for your rights". CBS News. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  2. ^ Valenzuela, Bryant (January 10, 2022). "The Weapon of the Century: Contemporary Politics Through the TikTok Algorithm". Harvard Political Review. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  3. ^ "Meet the company behind that viral Beto O'Rourke video". NBC News. November 6, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  4. ^ Ellis, Emma Grey. "Inside NowThis, The Upstart That's Owning Social News". WIRED. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  5. ^ Josh Sternberg (November 9, 2012). "Can NowThis News Crack Mobile Video?". Digiday. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  6. ^ "State of the News Media" (PDF). Pew Research Center. March 26, 2014. pp. 16–17.
  7. ^ Soave, Robby (January 9, 2019). "Millennial News Site Thinks the CIA Being Run Entirely by Women Is a Progressive Victory". Reason.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Stenberg, Mark (December 19, 2023). "NowThis Hires Its First CEO Since Being Spun Off by Vox Media". Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  10. ^ Stenberg, Mark (March 21, 2024). "NowThis Combines with the Accelerate Change Portfolio, Becomes NowMedia". Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  11. ^ Whittock, Jesse (September 5, 2024). "Social News Publisher NowThis Hires Michael Vito Valentino As Editor-In-Chief In Gen Z Programming Shift". Deadline. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Whittock, Max Goldbart,Jesse (October 28, 2024). "'The Sex Lives Of College Girls' Star Joins Inaugural Board Of Gen Z News Outfit NowThis". Deadline. Retrieved November 12, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "Creator and influencer trends brand marketers need to know about right now".
  14. ^ "NowThis editor-in-chief on the company's Gen Z-focused rebrand: 'Creative is still king'". The Drum. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  15. ^ "NowThis Announces Advisory Board to Further Support Company's Pivot Towards Gen Z Audience".
  16. ^ "Hot Pics". Us Weekly. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  17. ^ "NowThis Launches Advisory Board with Griffin Maxwell Brooks, Alyah Chanelle Scott, and More with Focus on Diversity and Engagement". What's Trending. November 5, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.