Featured.com has acquired Help A Reporter Out (HARO) from Cision, signaling a renewed commitment to connecting journalists with human expert sources. The platform, originally founded in 2008, will maintain its core mission of facilitating meaningful connections between reporters seeking credible insights and professionals with specialized knowledge.
The acquisition comes at a critical time when AI-generated content is flooding digital media landscapes. By preserving HARO's original email-based query format, Featured aims to provide journalists with a reliable mechanism for sourcing authentic, human-driven expertise. The platform will remain free for both journalists and sources, supported by newsletter advertising.
Brett Farmiloe, Featured's Founder and CEO, emphasized the strategic importance of the acquisition, noting that as AI-generated content becomes increasingly prevalent, journalists require access to genuine human perspectives. The revival of HARO represents a deliberate effort to counteract the potential homogenization of media content through artificial intelligence.
The platform's approach involves maintaining HARO's traditional daily email opportunities, allowing reporters to submit queries and receive targeted expert responses. This method ensures efficient source discovery while maintaining the platform's commitment to diverse, credible voices.
The acquisition is supported by investors like Great North Ventures, who see value in community-driven platforms that foster meaningful professional connections. By restoring HARO to its original format, Featured demonstrates a commitment to preserving human expertise in an increasingly algorithmic media environment.
