Huffington Magazine Issue 2 | Page 83

INSIDE THE CULT who’ve left the newsroom over the years have recently started a Facebook group for alumni: the “Politico Survivor’s Club.” POLITICO GOES PRO As the Politico alumni network grows, so does the newsroom. Despite newsroom war stories having filtered out over the years, the company is still a very desirable place to work for many ambitious journalists. This month’s announcement of a sizable Pro expansion signaled that executives are pleased with the results of the premium service after just over a year on the market. Subscriptions, targeted at Congressional offices, agencies, trade associations and corporations, start at $3,295 per year, but can reach into the five digits for larger memberships. Because Allbritton is a private company, it’s impossible to HUFFINGTON 06.24.12 know exactly how much Pro is bringing in. While it’s unclear how many customers Pro has, those that ordered a package are apparently happy with the results. Miki King, Pro’s executive director for business development, recently told Nieman Journalism Lab that Pro exceeded market renewal expectations in the 85 to 90 percent range during its first year on the market. Pro competes in a subscription market against established properties like CQ and well-financed upstarts like Bloomberg’s BGov and aims for up-to-the-second information for customers who need to make immediate decisions in policy areas such as energy, technology, health, transportation, and in the near future, defense and financial regulation. Customers won’t be curling up with Pro content as they might with a 10,000-word New Yorker piece, according to Pro editor-inchief Tim Grieve. “It’s [not] what we’re trying to