Rappler gets funding from top media veterans led by Marcus Brauchli

Rappler, an independent online news startup in the Philippines, has secured funding from an investment firm led by Marcus Brauchli, who held top positions at the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, sources privy to the deal tell Tech in Asia.

Rappler is among the first in the region to receive capital from North Base Media, founded by Brauchli; Sasa Vucinic, a Serbian journalist who helped launch the non-profit Media Development Investment Fund; and Stuart Karle, former COO of Reuters.

The millions of dollars in funding catapults Rappler into one of the most valued startups in the Philippines, one source says. A second source adds the financing round can grow with the entry of another investor, whose identity is not known yet.

Asked about the funding details, Rappler founder and CEO Maria Ressa said: “I can say that North Base Media’s principals will be in Manila this weekend.”

Indonesia, other markets

More than the capital, the three veteran journalists will bring top-level international media expertise to Rappler, equipping the company for its expansion in other markets in the region, starting with Indonesia.

On its website, North Base Media says it specializes in independently owned media or technologies that enable people to participate in civic life in emerging markets. It doesn’t align itself with governments or political causes in the countries where it operates.

Rappler is a perfect fit. Led by Ressa who worked at CNN for two decades and other seasoned Filipino journalists like Glenda Gloria, Chay Hofileña, and Marites Dañguilan-Vitug, the online news organization promises uncompromised journalism. Ressa’s group owns majority of the startup, and external investors cede decision-making to the editorial team.

Community building

Rappler, known for its investigative and analytical stories that put issues into wider context, is evolving journalism with technology. It crowdsources stories by collaborating with citizens who are usually first on the ground for vital reports. It also employs data-driven storytelling.

It uses its content to create conversations on social media, where it has built a strong community, and to put institutions into action.

Rappler’s civic engagement arm, Move.ph, is focused on helping address age-old problems like corruption, climate change, and hunger. It launched an initiative called Project Agos, a mapping and crowdsourcing tool that provides critical information about natural disasters.

North Base Media’s involvement in Rappler is expected to give the company a boost as a trusted source of news and information in its home market. Rappler belongs to the top five Philippine new sites based on Alexa and SimilarWeb rankings.