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Billy Penn is eyeing a second publication in another city -- the finalists include Baltimore, Chicago and Pittsburgh.
In an interview with POLITICO conducted before the final cities were selected, Spirited Media founder and CEO Jim Brady said he was looking to launch a Billy Penn-like site in cities with a high percentage of young news consumers and a relatively compact size. More than half of Billy Penn’s audience is 35 years old or younger, Brady said, and the compactness of a city gives the company’s stories a better shot at having a citywide impact.
The possibility that Brady might bring his mobile-first local model to one of these three cities is thanks to a hefty investment from USA Today owner Gannett that was announced a few weeks ago...
Brady said that the final decision on which city to launch in next will come down to the journalism and business talent in the cities it chooses to focus on.
“What I want to do is get myself down to two or three cities, and then go to those cities and interview people and let that be the tie-breaker,” he said. “Finding the right people is paramount.”
Once Brady decides on a final city, the company will decide on a name and will staff up with about a half-dozen people on both the editorial and business sides. Brady said he expects to make a final decision by May 1.
Original source: Politico New York
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