BuzzFeed
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This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2012) |
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| Type | Private |
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| Foundation date | October 2006 |
| Headquarters | New York City, New York, USA |
| Key people | Jonah Peretti, CEO Ben Smith, Editor-in-Chief Peggy Wang, Senior Editor Ze Frank, Advisor Jason Kottke, Advisor |
| Owner | BuzzFeed Inc. |
| Slogan(s) | "The Viral Web In Real Time" |
| Website | BuzzFeed.com |
| Alexa rank |  407 (April 2013[update])[1] |
| Type of site | News & blogging |
| Advertising | partner websites |
| Registration | Optional |
| Available in | English |
| Launched | October 2006 |
| Current status | Active |
BuzzFeed is a website that combines a technology platform for detecting viral content with an editorial selection process to provide a snapshot of "the viral web in realtime". Co-founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti (who is also cofounder of The Huffington Post), BuzzFeed is located in Manhattan, New York in the Flatiron District.
In 2012, Ben Smith of Politico was hired as editor-in-chief.[2]
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Homepage content [edit]
The BuzzFeed homepage consists of a time-sequential list of posts from users and staff members. The content of the posts is usually either a video, image, or link. These posts are the site's attempt to capture the essence of viral media currently resonating on the web. On Fridays, the website hosts a battle, where users are challenged to post the best, most time-wasting Flash game. Other posts are compendiums of memes or images that are all similar to each other in some way. Occasionally there are quizzes.
On November 5th, 2012, it was announced that former Spin Editor-in-Chief Steve Kandell had been hired to lead the site's expansion into longform journalistic content.[3][4]
User profiles [edit]
Every registered user of BuzzFeed has a homepage that contains links to their most recent contributions to the site. There is also a brief bio section and a scoreboard of how many times these users posts have been featured on the homepage or awarded "Gold Stars" by the staff.
BuzzFeed labs [edit]
BuzzFeed Labs are an ongoing effort on the part of the BuzzFeed editors to track, test, and to sometimes create viral media. Past efforts have included: attempting to break a beer bottle in half for use as a shiv in a bar fight, citizen journalism investigating a fire on the Manhattan Bridge, and the creation of a giant energy malt liquor drink using a forty ounce beer and a can of Red Bull. These labs are conducted sporadically and have no set release schedule.
Badges [edit]
A key component of Buzzfeed's ongoing mission to sort, certify, and promote the viral web is the use of "Badges". Tags like "LOL" "Eww" "Old" "WTF" "TRASHY" "GEEKY" "CUTE" "WIN" "OMG" are available for users to award to posts that they feel merit them. If enough users feel the same way, then a visual badge is tacked on to the edge of the thumbnail image for that post, alerting others to its content.
Notes [edit]
- ^ "Buzzfeed.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
- ^ Stelter, Brian (2011-12-12). "BuzzFeed Adds Politico Writer". Mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
- ^ "Steve Kandell Joins BuzzFeed As Longform Editor". BuzzFeed. 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
- ^ Sisaro, Ben (2013-11-05). "Former Spin Editor to Run BuzzFeed’s Long-Form Coverage,". New York Times. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
References [edit]
- Jenna Wortham. "Staying Informed Without Drowning in Data", New York Times, December 17, 2008
- Jenna Wortham. "Has Google Found a Stairway to Heaven in Brooklyn?", Bits Blog, New York Times, August 4, 2009
