Bloomberg Plans To Become The Most Influential News Organization In The World

michaelbloomberg

This is why we want to throw up every time we hear some newspaper mogul whining about how the world is going to hell in a handbasket.

Bloomberg is not wringing its hands about the demise of journalism. Bloomberg is not begging Congress for bailouts or moaning about the parasites at Google News. Bloomberg is not trying to put the fear of God in everybody about what will happen when an ancient business model (newspapers) finally goes bust. Bloomberg is just growing steadily, pumping out cash, and hiring more and more journalists. And it's on its way to becoming the most influential news organization in the world.

The New York Times has written an excellent overview of the company and its ambitions.

Here's a fun starter fact for you: Bloomberg already has more journalists (2,200) than the New York Times Company (1,250) and Dow Jones (1,900). Bloomberg!

So relax already about the death of journalism and get to know the new media behemoth, courtesy of Stephanie Clifford and Julie Creswell of the NYT:

PLOPPED in a white leather chair in a small office in Bloomberg L.P’s Manhattan headquarters, Andrew Lack knows exactly how to articulate the aspirations of this 28-year-old media and technology company.

“We want to be the world’s most influential news organization,” says Mr. Lack, who oversees Bloomberg’s television, radio and dot-com endeavors.

Very clear. The most influential. On the planet.

It’s a goal several other Bloomberg executives have already mentioned to a pair of visitors. And when Mr. Lack, 62, a former head of NBC News, hears his guests wonder if something funny is in his company’s coffee — a special sauce that keeps all Bloombergians marching so efficiently and effectively to the same tune — he looks a tad chagrined.

“Oh, my! I don’t want to sound as if I’m on message,” he says, laughing apprehensively while also sending a “help me” look to a Bloomberg spokeswoman nearby.

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Photo excerpt: NYT (Bloomberg president Dan Doctoroff telling the newsroom Bloomberg is buying the wreckage of BusinessWeek).

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