The News Movement (TNM), a youth-oriented digital media group co-founded by former Wall Street Journal publisher Will Lewis and former BBC editorial director Kamal Ahmed, has restructured under a new parent company, Caliber. The rebrand consolidates TNM with The Recount, Capsule, and a new Caliber Collective into one umbrella organization.

As part of the transition, Caliber secured an estimated $10–15 million in new funding from Forta, a UK investment fund backed by Sheikh Sultan bin Jassim al-Thani of Qatar and other investors. Previous talks to sell a stake to Antenna Group ended with this new round of financing.

The funding fuels the launch of SaySo, a platform aimed at “journalistic-minded creators” who want to reach audiences directly and monetize their work. Initially rolling out in the U.S. and later in the U.K., SaySo is positioned as a toolset for independent journalists to build sustainable businesses through recurring payments, creator support, and long-term audience development.

“Caliber’s long-term vision is to set a new precedent to deliver journalism that moves at the speed of culture,” said Ramin Beheshti, co-founder and CEO of Caliber. “In a world that moves fast, we are committed to telling stories that are grounded in our depth of craft. As we enter this new phase, we’re building a model that keeps pace with how people consume information today – social, short-form, and fast – but grounded in truth and responsibility. We remain as energized as ever about the role journalism plays in society and are excited to platform a multitude of storytellers across news and culture in the formats consumers seek today.”

While Caliber projects £5–10 million in revenue for 2025, the group is not yet profitable, with profitability forecasted for 2026 or 2027.

INSIDER TAKE

Caliber’s launch of SaySo underscores a larger subscription economy trend: journalism and creator content are moving toward direct-to-audience monetization models. Rather than depending on advertising revenue or the algorithms of Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, SaySo aims to give journalists a platform that enables recurring revenue and builds independence from volatile social channels.

For subscription executives, this is another data point in the fragmentation of the creator-subscription market. Substack and Patreon have opened the door for writers and podcasters, while SaySo is staking a claim around journalism. The $10–15M funding shows investor confidence that there is still room for specialized platforms that offer more than distribution — they offer tools, revenue support, and an ecosystem designed for long-term sustainability.

The lesson: as advertising markets tighten, subscriptions are the safety net and growth lever for both media companies and individual creators. Platforms like SaySo may not replace legacy publishers, but they reflect where the next generation of news talent sees its financial future.