Striking the Balance: Access-Driven Stories and Editorial Ethos

The editorial ethos at TechCrunch emphasizes the importance of accessing stories while balancing the need for independent editorial content. The speaker mentions that having less dependency on access can lead to more access being offered, as sources want their side of the story told. Editorial content at TechCrunch includes a mix of funding stories, growth stories, and broader tech stories, with a continuous need to adjust the balance. The editor-in-chief acknowledges the need for constant monitoring and adjustment of the editorial mix, ensuring a balance between access-driven stories and proactive story seeking. While TechCrunch values its valuable, engaged audience, it also faces the challenge of not being overly influenced by catering to this audience. The speaker reflects on the value of narrative in media and tech industries, highlighting the tension between valuing storytelling and investing in media operations. TechCrunch strives to understand and cover tech topics in-depth to differentiate itself from mainstream media. However, the publication has also been grouped with media outlets that struggle to grasp the tech world's nuances. The speaker mentions a trend where the VC industry attempts to control the narrative by creating its media outlets. This trend poses a challenge to traditional media organizations like TechCrunch, which aim to provide comprehensive coverage while navigating industry expectations and biases.