Bill Owens is joining Newpress after a clash over editorial control pushed him out of 60 Minutes. The former CBS producer sees the video startup as a place to make news without pressure from big media firms.
His exit came after CBS News faced new layers of review from its parent company. Owens felt those rules put the show's freedom at risk. Rather than accept more checks on his work, he chose to leave.
Newpress has just raised $12 million, with Laurene Powell Jobs' Emerson Collective leading the funding group. The cash will help pay for fresh video shows and may back a move into podcasts and email newsletters.
Owens will take the lead producer role once his CBS noncompete deal runs out. His job will cover finding new talent, shaping ideas, and helping creators edit their work.
Iz Harris runs Newpress with her husband, journalist Johnny Harris. They set up the firm to give solo news creators the kind of help that a large newsroom can offer, without taking away their style or voice.
The setup is a mix of solo creator freedom and team support. Reporters get aid with research, fact-checking, video work, and business tasks. In return, Newpress shares profits with the people who make its shows.
Around 20 staff work at the firm. Max Fisher covers world affairs, Christophe Haubursin digs into strange events on the web, and Sam Ellis makes videos on sports across the globe.
Its videos tend to mix simple on-camera talks with slick charts and art. One piece on the oil crisis tied to the Iran war had Fisher at a desk with a globe and an old phone nearby. The style is polished, yet the hosts keep things casual.
Ads bring in some cash, while fans can pay $5 each month for extra perks and to back the work. That gives Newpress a way to earn from its audience as well as its video views.
For Owens, YouTube is a key part of the plan. Younger people spend much of their news time there, and he wants to meet them on that platform. His aim is to make clear, fact-based stories without the corporate fears he says weigh on old media firms.
His exit came after CBS News faced new layers of review from its parent company. Owens felt those rules put the show's freedom at risk. Rather than accept more checks on his work, he chose to leave.
Newpress has just raised $12 million, with Laurene Powell Jobs' Emerson Collective leading the funding group. The cash will help pay for fresh video shows and may back a move into podcasts and email newsletters.
Owens will take the lead producer role once his CBS noncompete deal runs out. His job will cover finding new talent, shaping ideas, and helping creators edit their work.
Iz Harris runs Newpress with her husband, journalist Johnny Harris. They set up the firm to give solo news creators the kind of help that a large newsroom can offer, without taking away their style or voice.
The setup is a mix of solo creator freedom and team support. Reporters get aid with research, fact-checking, video work, and business tasks. In return, Newpress shares profits with the people who make its shows.
Around 20 staff work at the firm. Max Fisher covers world affairs, Christophe Haubursin digs into strange events on the web, and Sam Ellis makes videos on sports across the globe.
Its videos tend to mix simple on-camera talks with slick charts and art. One piece on the oil crisis tied to the Iran war had Fisher at a desk with a globe and an old phone nearby. The style is polished, yet the hosts keep things casual.
Ads bring in some cash, while fans can pay $5 each month for extra perks and to back the work. That gives Newpress a way to earn from its audience as well as its video views.
For Owens, YouTube is a key part of the plan. Younger people spend much of their news time there, and he wants to meet them on that platform. His aim is to make clear, fact-based stories without the corporate fears he says weigh on old media firms.
