The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI) announced today that it has signed on as a media partner with Matter, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm and incubator that supports promising media startups and entrepreneurs.
"This is a very exciting partnership and opportunity for McClatchy," said Pat Talamantes, McClatchy president and CEO. "In the midst of our company's own digital transformation, Matter and the startups it nurtures will provide ideas, innovation and potential new business models for successful media companies of the future."
In addition to McClatchy, The Associated Press, A.H. Belo Corporation and Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. will join founding media partners KQED Public Media for Northern California, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Public Radio Exchange in support of the Matter program.
The new partnership features a powerful mix of international, national and local media organizations with a vast reach across television, radio, digital and print. The network of media partners gives participating startups extensive mentorship by industry leaders, connections to potential customers and real-world opportunities to test their ideas.
Matter, founded in 2012, brings selected startups together at its San Francisco headquarters that "have potential to become meaningful media institutions of the future – creating a more informed, connected and empowered society."
Matter invests seed capital and provides an intensive, five-month program for the budding entrepreneurs to refine their business plans, develop prototypes, work collaboratively with other entrepreneurs and learn from leaders in media and technology. The program culminates with "demo days" presentations in San Francisco and New York in front of a select group of investors, media executives, mentors and others.
Matter has a current portfolio of 19 early-stage media ventures.
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