NowPublic

About NowPublic

NowPublic was a pioneering force in the citizen journalism and user-generated content space, founded in 2005 by Michael Tippett, Leonard Brody, and Michael E. Meyers in Vancouver, Canada. The company positioned itself as a participatory news network, enabling a global community of contributors to report on and discuss current events. This model allowed individuals, whether amateurs or professionals, to submit news, photos, and videos, effectively creating a crowdsourced news platform.

The company's core offering was its social news website, which aggregated content from thousands of contributors across more than 160 countries. A significant technological feature was its Emmy-nominated mechanism for scanning online conversations in real-time, which allowed for the rapid aggregation of developing stories. The platform was built on the open-source Drupal technology. Revenue was primarily generated through the syndication of its user-provided content and by connecting its network of reporters with established news organizations. In 2007, the company secured a significant US$10.6 million in venture financing from investors including Rho Ventures, Brightspark, and Growthworks. This funding was intended to enhance the platform, including developing systems to geo-locate reporters near breaking news.

Co-founder Michael Tippett brought entrepreneurial experience from previous internet ventures, including Afternic.com, and a background in marketing. His vision for emerging news models was central to NowPublic's development. Co-founder and CEO Leonard Brody articulated the company's ambition to be a "Reuters 2.0," an army of eyes and ears on the ground, distinct from traditional journalism. In September 2009, NowPublic was acquired by the Denver-based Examiner.com, a division of Clarity Digital Group, for a reported $25 million. The acquisition was driven by Examiner.com's desire to leverage NowPublic's technology and its international network of contributors to enhance its own hyperlocal news offerings. Following the acquisition, NowPublic continued to operate independently for a time but was eventually shut down, with its domain redirecting to Examiner.com effective December 27, 2013.