News Deeply

News Deeply was a digital media and technology company founded in 2012 by journalist Lara Setrakian. A former Middle East correspondent for outlets like ABC News and Bloomberg Television, Setrakian established the company to address what she saw as a failure in mainstream media: the lack of sustained, in-depth coverage for complex and persistent global issues. Frustrated by the fleeting attention given to critical events like the Syrian Civil War, she used her savings to create a new model for journalism. The company’s mission was to build dedicated, single-issue platforms that combined rigorous reporting with expert analysis and community engagement, serving an audience of professionals, decision-makers, and the engaged public.

The firm operated as a New York-based benefit corporation, pioneering a unique approach by creating distinct, themed websites. Its flagship platform, Syria Deeply, launched in 2012 to provide comprehensive coverage of the conflict. This was followed by other specialized sites such as Ebola Deeply, Arctic Deeply, Refugees Deeply, and Water Deeply, each designed to be a central hub of information for its respective topic. The model was flexible, allowing for the launch of "pop-up" platforms to cover emerging crises and for them to be sunsetted when the immediate need subsided or funding concluded. News Deeply's revenue model was diversified, relying on foundation grants, sponsorships, live event sales, and digital design services for other organizations. It also secured $2.5 million in venture capital funding.

The platforms functioned as information hubs, combining original investigative reporting, data visualization, and expert commentary to provide context beyond the headlines. This structure was intended to foster a deeper understanding and more sustained engagement around issues often underrepresented in the news cycle. However, despite its approach and a roster of partners that included the Ford Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation, the company faced financial challenges. In September 2018, News Deeply announced it was pausing publication on several of its sites, including Oceans Deeply and Peacebuilding Deeply. The last article on any of its platforms was published in April 2019, and the company has since ceased all publishing operations. In a move to preserve its work, the archive of News Deeply's content was later absorbed by The New Humanitarian.

Keywords: Lara Setrakian, Syria Deeply, single-issue journalism, vertical media, media innovation, crisis reporting, foreign policy journalism, benefit corporation, digital news, investigative journalism, stakeholder engagement, public service journalism, topic-specific news, Refugees Deeply, Water Deeply, Arctic Deeply, Ebola Deeply, Peacebuilding Deeply, media business models, explanatory journalism