Featured.com has acquired Help A Reporter Out (HARO) from Cision, signaling a strategic move to preserve human expertise in media sourcing. The platform, originally founded in 2008, will return to its roots of connecting journalists with subject-matter experts, offering a counterpoint to the growing prevalence of AI-generated content.
Under new ownership, HARO will maintain its core service of providing free connections between reporters and professional sources. The platform will continue delivering daily opportunities via email, allowing journalists to submit queries and receive relevant expert responses quickly and efficiently.
Brett Farmiloe, Featured.com's Founder and CEO, emphasized the critical timing of the acquisition. As artificial intelligence increasingly produces generic content, the need for credible, human-sourced information has become paramount. The revival aims to modernize HARO while preserving its original mission of facilitating authentic expert contributions.
The acquisition is supported by investors like Great North Ventures, who view the platform as a vital tool for maintaining journalistic integrity. Rob Weber, Managing Partner at Great North Ventures, highlighted the importance of community-driven platforms that foster trusted connections between experts and content creators.
By reintroducing HARO, Featured.com is positioning itself as a key player in combating the homogenization of media content. The platform's commitment to unlocking human expertise represents a significant counterweight to AI-generated narratives, potentially reshaping how journalists source and verify information in the digital age.
