The News Movement, the Gen Z-focused social-led media brand, has entered a new phase of growth and maturity following a significant investment believed to exceed $10 million. This infusion of capital marks a transition from its early “scrappy start-up” days to a more established media entity under the new name of Caliber.
Caliber was created to oversee a portfolio of socially native brands, including The News Movement, The Recount – which it acquired in 2023 and specialises in US politics – and Capsule, a lifestyle and trends brand.
CEO and co-founder Ramin Beheshti, who previously served as chief product and technology officer at Dow Jones, explained that the formation of Caliber demonstrates the company’s evolution into a multi-platform media group rather than a single social media account. He described the development as a “green shoot moment” for the wider journalism industry, showing that it is possible to build profitable businesses that engage younger audiences and offer diverse products.
Originally launching in beta under the leadership of Will Lewis, now ceo of the Washington Post, in November 2021 and expanding a year later, The News Movement has grown its social media presence significantly, now reaching over one million followers across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, a 64% increase from the previous summer. Its brands collectively reach more than 100 million people per month, with about 65% of this audience under the age of 35.
This growth has allowed Caliber to increase revenues, particularly through native advertising partnerships, such as a recent paid collaboration with Skittles to highlight their work with Queer Britain. The creative studio segment, The Caliber Collective, which produces digital campaigns for prominent clients like Amazon, KFC, and Planned Parenthood, has also contributed positively to revenue expansion.
Despite this progress, Beheshti acknowledged that a focus on growth has delayed the company’s path to profitability. Whereas the original projection aimed for profits in 2025, the current outlook shifts this milestone to the end of 2026 or early 2027. The investment will primarily fund marketing initiatives and product innovation rather than significantly expanding staff, although the company is relocating to new offices in New York and London to facilitate greater event-hosting capabilities and creator engagement.
A notable upcoming development is the launch of SaySo, a creator-centric, paid consumer app designed to deepen audience engagement and monetisation. The app is planned to enter beta later this year, with a full rollout expected in 2026. Beheshti envisions SaySo as an “Apple News+ but for creators,” providing personalised, bite-sized news content that fits into users’ limited time and allows monetisation directly for creators.
This model draws inspiration from platforms like Patreon but offers curated creators committed to journalistic credibility and factual reporting rather than political affiliations. SaySo aims to bring multiple perspectives together in one place, providing consumers with a more comprehensive understanding of news stories.
Caliber currently employs 55 people across its New York and London offices, including significant editorial teams totaling 29 journalists. Investment into the company has come notably from UK-based fund Forta, which is backed by Qatari investors such as Sheikh Sultan bin Jassim al-Thani. Forta’s chief executive expressed confidence in Caliber’s substantial follower growth and long-term prospects.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative presents recent developments, including Caliber’s formation and The News Movement’s growth, with specific figures and dates. However, the exact $10 million investment figure is not corroborated by external sources, raising questions about its accuracy. The report’s freshness is high, but the unverified investment amount introduces some uncertainty.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The report includes direct quotes from CEO Ramin Beheshti and other individuals. While these quotes are plausible, they are not independently verified in the provided sources, which may indicate potential reuse or lack of originality.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The report originates from a single outlet, Press Gazette, which is not widely recognised. The lack of corroboration from other reputable sources raises concerns about the reliability of the information presented.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative’s claims about The News Movement’s growth and Caliber’s formation are plausible and align with industry trends. However, the unverified $10 million investment figure and the absence of supporting details from other reputable outlets reduce the overall credibility.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The report presents recent developments regarding The News Movement and Caliber, but the unverified $10 million investment figure and lack of corroboration from reputable sources raise significant concerns about its accuracy and reliability.
