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progressive news media gridLaunched last January under the masthead of seed funding and high-profile media talent in the United Arab Emirates, it reportedly lost its chief executive, along with a lavish office and 50-person staff, amid internal confusion over its business model.
grid Co-founder and CEO Mark Bowman, who raised at least $10 million for the venture, stepped down earlier this month and will serve as an advisor to the site, according to to axiom.
less than a year after the news gridlaunch. The media outlet, which describes itself as a “collaborative newsroom for beat journalists” aimed at providing a “more complete picture” of breaking news stories, was developed by a registered lobbyist in the UAE, washington liberty lighthouse the first Report in January.
Despite attracting some big-name writers — including blogger Matt Yglesias as its contributing editor —grid Has yet to break out in a crowded media environment.
axiom The store reportedly “lost millions of dollars to pay for high-end office space in Washington, while also supporting the wages of more than 50 employees.” grid It reportedly has fewer than 13,000 followers on Twitter, despite employing at least four people on its audience-building team.
DC lobbying firm APCO Worldwide told free beacon Last year it was involved in consulting grid in the course of its development.APCO, the foreign agent in the UAE at the time, declined to say which client it was working for. grid.
“APCO Worldwide is grid first half of 2021,” APCO spokesman Jimmy Koo told free beacon. “APCO in grid“
Outgoing CEO Bowman grid From International Media Ventures, according to arrive New York Times. International Media Investments is the holding company of UAE Royal Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the half-brother of the UAE’s deputy prime minister and country’s president.
grid Tell axiom Says its investors are ‘committed’ despite Bowman’s departure gridsuccess, and the organization “does not anticipate needing to raise funds from others to support our growing newsroom.”
According to a search of its website, the outlet did not write many articles that mentioned the UAE, nor did it focus broadly on topics of interest to the Gulf states, such as opposition to the Iran nuclear deal.
Three days before Bowman announced his resignation, grid published an article article Regarding the COP27 climate change meeting that pointed out that the UAE has a “problematic human rights record”.
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