Talk:Brian Timpone

With the October 2020 article in the New York Times and also this new one (October 19) in the Wall Street Journal about Metric Media, I wonder if it is time to have an article on MM instead of just Brian Timpone. Novellasyes (talk) 16:57, 19 October 2020 (UTC)

I can't read the WSJ article, but the NYT article is about "the network"/"Brian Timpone's network"/"Timpone network" (as they refer to it.) Metric Media just happens to be the most forward facing element of the network at the moment - in 2012, the same could be said about Journatic. Mcrsftdog (talk) 17:47, 19 October 2020 (UTC)

That hadn't occurred to me. Makes sense. Novellasyes (talk) 18:40, 19 October 2020 (UTC)

This passage:

The articles on Timpone's websites are written by non-American freelancers who use "Anglo-sounding" pen names,[4][5]

The citation #4 does not state that. It is written in a sentence as a PREMISE, which is assuming that it is true. Given that it is printed as in an opinion personal blog, I don't see how that would carry the kind of weight required to make a bold negative reputation-impugning statement in the opening of an article in our modern-day encyclopedia. Besides, even if it was a fact in 2012 (nine years ago), which source said it is still being done today?--Lourde Mage (talk) 16:51, 21 April 2021 (UTC)

I've changed the sentence to be based on Timpone's statements in This American Life, retaining the mention of the year "2012". — Newslinger talk 17:11, 21 April 2021 (UTC)

I'd like to break up the "news publishing" section into subsections for the various projects (locality labs, journatic, metric media) etc. because it is getting kind of jumbled and because metric media really seems to be the big play these days. There's a new article out in the Wash Post saying this about it. "The most extreme examples include outfits such as Metric Media — a national network of 1,300 sites that have the look and feel of local news outfits. They cover city councils and schools under innocuous-sounding banners such as “Illinois Valley Times” and the “Lansing Sun.” But a New York Times investigation last year reported that their stories were essentially propaganda, partially funded and directed by PR firms and conservative political groups in support of Republican candidates. (A company executive later called the report “patently absurd.”)" ^[1] Novellasyes (talk) 13:57, 5 June 2021 (UTC)

I think a separate sections for "Journatic" would probably make sense now, but the other businesses do not seem to have enough content for their own subheadings yet (see WP:OVERSECTION). If you add more information about the other businesses to the article, then more subheadings would make sense. Based on the Washington Post article you linked to, it looks like there is a lot of useful information that could go into the article. – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 16:29, 5 June 2021 (UTC)

I'd like to change the order in which the subsections appear under "News publishing" so that Metric Media comes first; separate out Locality Lab into its own section, and then have the other sections. Also, remove "news" from "News publishing" and just have it say "Publications". Whether the material IS news is something that has been contested. Novellasyes (talk) 21:50, 2 October 2023 (UTC)

I think we should consider splitting off Metric Media into its own article – the current section is the longest on the page, and most of it deals with the company, not Timpone himself. There are many reliable sources already listed that show Metric Media's notability, independent from Timpone: CJR, NYT, ProPublica, etc.

(Pinging editors involved above: User:Novellasyes, User:Newslinger, User:Mcrsftdog, User:Notwally) Iiii I I I (talk) 23:39, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

Support. This particular Timpone-operated company has enough coverage independent of Timpone to merit a separate article. — Newslinger talk 23:47, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

Strongly support. While Brian Timpone has some notability, the company itself seems to be more what people would want to know about and that has achieved its own notability. Novellasyes (talk) 16:19, 28 April 2025 (UTC)

Strongly Support per @Newslinger and @Novellasyes i know you're a dog (talk) 06:42, 29 April 2025 (UTC)

“Pink Slime”: Partisan journalism and the future of local news from the Tow Center includes a rather significant case study on Metric Media.

i know you're a dog (talk) 07:08, 29 April 2025 (UTC)

More here:

https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2025-08-05/local-editors-worry-pink-slime-journalism-poses-real-danger

https://www.wgbh.org/news/education-news/2025-09-24/local-colleges-targeted-amid-growing-campus-culture-wars Crs5827 (talk) 08:30, 22 October 2025 (UTC)