A reader writes in:

“The WSJ has a story today – some main points:

“- As already speculated, WaPo’s 3rd Newsroom is some form of digital news/social media entity.

“- New CEO Matt Lewis launched such an entity four years ago, The News Movement. (According to TNM webpage, Amazon is a partner.)

“- Per WSJ, ‘One goal of the Post’s “third newsroom”—the first is the core news operation and the second is the opinion section—would be to reach and generate revenue from audiences who are unlikely to pay for subscriptions but will engage with the news outlet’s content on social-media platforms, people familiar with the Post’s plans said.’

“- There are different perspectives offered on this plan forward including:

“One risk of doubling down on social-media distribution is that it gives publishers less control over the exposure their work gets. ‘Any effort to build audience on TikTok or other platforms must be undertaken with eyes wide open since it represents a dependence on other companies’ platforms rather than direct customer access,’ Friedlich said. … 

“‘The Washington Post and all other news brands need to go where the young people are,’ said digital-media consultant Matthew Goldstein. “

Interesting. But the TNM website sure looks gimmicky to me, the creation of a MSM outlet’s desperate attempt to be social-media hip. But what do I know? I’m just a Boomer.

Btw: The Associated Press is an apparent TNM partner too. …

 And I still don’t understand why the Post can’t focus on hard-hitting national news, the obvious attraction for most of its current 2.5 million paid subscribers, while experimenting with its side “third newsroom.” It’s not as if 2.5 million paid subscribers are insignificant.