First Look Media announced Wednesday the appointment of Michael Bloom to the position of president and general manager.
Bloom, an Internet entrepreneur and digital media executive, has previously worked as CEO of The Guardian’s U.S. operations. He has also been a senior vice president and general manager for digital media at MTV networks and chief digital officer at Rolling Stone, according to The Guardian.
As president and general manager, Bloom “will be responsible for both the journalistic future of the organization and developing commercial opportunities to support First Look Media,” according to the announcement.
His charge is to support and build our existing publications while creating entirely new products and services to expand and grow the business. As President and GM, Michael will develop strategies, build teams and oversee all aspects of First Look Media’s operations.
Bloom’s appointment was prompted in part by a desire to have a leader in First Look’s New York base of operations, First Look Media spokesperson Gina Lindblad said in an email. Authority over editorial decisions remains with the editors of the company’s publications; both Bloom and John Temple, president of audience and products, will report to CEO Pierre Omidyar.
“We believe our nonprofit and for-profit journalism efforts will be more successful if we have a leader on the ground in New York — the center for these initiatives — responsible for managing existing publications and creating new ventures.”
In addition to Bloom’s appointment, First look plans to add to its leadership ranks in New York and elsewhere, Lindblad said.
Bloom’s appointment comes during a turbulent time for First Look Media. Racket, a proposed satirical news vertical that was supposed to be run by Rolling Stone writer Matt Taibbi, imploded last year before it got off the ground. Last month, former First Look journalist Ken Silverstein penned an unflattering insider’s perspective of working for First Look Media for Politico Magazine titled “Where Journalism Goes to Die.”
First Look Media’s national security vertical The Intercept got positive attention recently after co-founder Laura Poitras’ documentary “Citizenfour” won an Academy Award for best documentary feature.
