In a week that will forever be remembered for its tumult and chaos, Pittsburgh’s traditional news media found time to cover the sale of NEXTpittsburgh to John Rhoades.
The Tribune-Review’s JoAnne Klimovich Harrop interviewed NEXT founder Tracy Certo, who talked about growing the site into a significant hub for Pittsburgh news and culture. The site had 2.1 million unique visitors in 2020, up from 1.8 million in 2019.
Rhoades said he was “looking for a business that I could really put my heart into. It’s been a long journey. … But NEXTpittsburgh feels like a perfect fit.”
The story mentions that Rhoades was aware of how challenging these times are for media right now.
“But, the more I looked at it, the more I realized the importance of the media, and I believe in this site and saw the potential to keep this company serving the city of Pittsburgh,” he said. “I want to make sure the great work that the team does telling the stories of our community continues.”
Rhoades grew up in Squirrel Hill and Edgewood and lives in Polish Hill. He has experience in both public policy and entrepreneurship. He worked for the United Way of Southwestern PA and helped launch the coworking space The Beauty Shoppe.
Harrop also reported that the time was right for a change, according to Certo, and Rhoades’ background was an ideal fit, as she said in a letter to readers.
Read the full story here.
Read more about the sale of NEXTpittsburgh in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Business Times.
