6 ms·

Circa failed because it used expensive journalists to create what should have been cheap aggregated content. The content itself had little added value compared

Circa failed because it used expensive journalists to create what should have been cheap aggregated content. The content itself had little added value compared with thousands of other daily news sites. Aggregators need to keep costs low and volume high -- Circa had this backwards.

rhizome 11y ago
There are a million instances of Demand Media, townnews.com and their ilk tho, so perhaps their mistake was in thinking there might be room for a premium option.
hboon 11y ago
I haven't tried every other news service/app, but other than summarising news, being able to track the development of specific news items was also great. The content quality definitely beats many other aggregators. I hope they make it through this.
- efuquen 11y ago
  > I hope they make it through this. Unless I'm misinterpreting something in the article or your comment, I thought it was pretty clear that they didn't and are shutting down for good? https://medium.com/circa/farewell-to-circa-news-7d002150f74b https://medium.com/circa/farewell-to-circa-news-7d002150f74b
  - hboon 11y ago
    > Note: In the interest of continued negotiations around Circa, we will not be speaking to the press about ceased production. Also reading a couple of tweets or reports that they are still looking for funding. Sounds like unless there's a miracle, they will be shutting down for good though since many (most?) of the team has left. One could only hope.
win64 11y ago
Demanjo is an example of a news site which uses less journalists to keep cost low and volume high and seem to be doing well. It also includes tweets, instagram pictures and youtube videos in some cases providing more value than your typical daily news websites. http://www.demanjo.com/ http://www.demanjo.com/
stevesearer 11y ago
The value of Circa for me was that instead of reading a new 300 word article whenever a new fact emerged, I would only have to read a sentence about the new fact in the context of the story facts I already read.

rhizome 11y ago

There are a million instances of Demand Media, townnews.com and their ilk tho, so perhaps their mistake was in thinking there might be room for a premium option.

hboon 11y ago

I haven't tried every other news service/app, but other than summarising news, being able to track the development of specific news items was also great. The content quality definitely beats many other aggregators. I hope they make it through this.

efuquen 11y ago
> I hope they make it through this. Unless I'm misinterpreting something in the article or your comment, I thought it was pretty clear that they didn't and are shutting down for good? https://medium.com/circa/farewell-to-circa-news-7d002150f74b https://medium.com/circa/farewell-to-circa-news-7d002150f74b
- hboon 11y ago
  > Note: In the interest of continued negotiations around Circa, we will not be speaking to the press about ceased production. Also reading a couple of tweets or reports that they are still looking for funding. Sounds like unless there's a miracle, they will be shutting down for good though since many (most?) of the team has left. One could only hope.

win64 11y ago

Demanjo is an example of a news site which uses less journalists to keep cost low and volume high and seem to be doing well. It also includes tweets, instagram pictures and youtube videos in some cases providing more value than your typical daily news websites. http://www.demanjo.com/ http://www.demanjo.com/

stevesearer 11y ago

The value of Circa for me was that instead of reading a new 300 word article whenever a new fact emerged, I would only have to read a sentence about the new fact in the context of the story facts I already read.