Boat Rocker backs news platform

Orphan Black producer Boat Rocker Media (BRM) has invested in a digital news platform set up by technology journalist Joshua Topolsky.

Joshua Topolsky

The Outline was launched by Topolsky via his company Independent Media, with BuzzFeed, Business Insider and Huffington Post joining BRM as investors.

Also on board is Advancit Capital, co-founded by Shari Redstone, vice-chairman of CBS and Viacom.

The platform aims to “deliver smart, uncompromising stories to young, curious readers who are craving authenticity, now more than ever.”

Its editorial will focus on three themes: power, culture and the future, while content will be designed to be read on mobile.

“For us the next wave in media is about focus. It’s about creating a voice that resonates. It’s about recognising that there’ a modern audience with a different way of looking at the world, and there’s an incredible opportunity to show that audience something new,” said Topolsky.

Topolsky is the co-founder of Vox Media/The Verge, the former digital content chief of Bloomberg Media, and the former editor-in-chief of gadget website Engadget.