The European arm of Politico will go live online on 21 April with more than 40 journalists spread across the continent as the US media outlet aims to fulfil its ambitions to become “the dominant politics and policy publication in Europe”. Politico claims it will have more journalists combined in Washington and Brussels than any other outlet. Total staff at the venture will reach about 70.
Politico co-founder and editor-in-chief John Harris said the European venture would have a broad range of competitors in its coverage areas of politics, businesses, security and economics.
“I am an admirer of the FT, the Economist and the international edition of the New York Times. We are going to compete on the equal footing right from the get-go,” he said.
“The expansion that we are making in Europe it’s really by far the biggest project on our plate. I don’t imagine a year from now we could be dominant, [but] we’re certainly going to be a major player in that European conversation.”
As well as rolling out a website, paid digital subscription services and events, Politico will launch a print edition on 23 April, distributing between 25,000 and 30,000 copies in Brussels, and at political and transport hubs in other major European centres such as London, Paris and Berlin.
Harris said the firm’s investment in the project was a “substantial, seven-figure commitment”.
Ryan Heath – a former adviser to the recent president of the EU, José Manuel Barroso, and a former spokesman for EU commissioner and vice president, Neelie Kroes – will be the project’s senior EU correspondent.
By Martin Banks
