Post News Emerges as Twitter Alternative Focused on Premium Journalism
Backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Post News offers a feed-based platform where users pay per article instead of buying full subscriptions. The rapidly growing beta currently lacks key features like direct messages and accessibility tools.
Post News launches as a new social platform that aims to replace Twitter as the virtual watercooler for journalists. The service rushes into a live beta to capitalize on the ongoing chaos at Twitter, offering familiar features like posts, likes, and reposts. However, the platform remains in its early stages and lacks basic tools such as direct messages, native mobile apps, and image alt text.
The startup differentiates itself by focusing on premium news content without traditional ads or full subscriptions. Publishers and independent writers share articles behind paywalls, allowing users to pay for individual pieces rather than committing to multiple outlet subscriptions. Founder Noam Bardin, the former CEO of Waze, envisions the social feed as the future newspaper that benefits both readers and publishers.
The platform gains significant traction quickly, boasting a waitlist of 335,000 users with about 65,000 activated accounts. Post News secures funding from Andreessen Horowitz and tech commentator Scott Galloway, despite the venture firm's previous financial ties to Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition. The company intentionally slows down user onboarding to prevent overwhelming its moderation and operational capabilities.