The rise of the VC-publisher

Venture capital firms have historically wanted little to do with media and content-based operations from an investment standpoint, but a growing number are now interested in building their own. Some are expanding existing content arms into broader general-interest newsrooms. Andreessen Horowitz put a stake in the ground last year with the launch of a new publication called Future, which publishes informational content that dovetails with its own investment priorities and view of how technology relates to the world. The move sparked discussion (and mockery) from the media world about what it considered as an attempt to compete or undermine objective journalism. Others are using their expertise to create quasi-aspirational service journalism, such as First Round Review, which says it i