On January 8, 2020, Wired published a deep-dive into Quibi–an upcoming, mobile-only streaming service. Quibi differs from other streamers in that each episode of its original programming will be less than ten minutes long. In Hollywood Bets On a Future of Quick Clips and Tiny Screens, Adam Rogers reports on Quibi’s origins, explains why big names in Hollywood are excited about it, and looks at some of the reasons why it might find success or fail to catch on.
Credibility of Sources
Rogers conducted several interviews for this story. He sat down with Quibi founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and CEO Meg Whitman for a lengthy chat. This conversation clearly informed much of the piece and direct quotes are included throughout. Rogers also interviewed Madeleine Haeringer, who will be producing NBC News content for the platform, and Catherine Hardwicke, who is directing a series. He also spent time with Quibi’s tech team.
To gain some insight and perspective from people who aren’t involved with Quibi, Rogers spoke with television writer John Rogers, YouTube’s Kurt Wilms, and Ben Carlson of the media analytics firm MarketCast.
I think Rogers’ sourcing is credible. He spoke with knowledgeable people who are well-positioned to offer their thoughts and experiences. Obviously the folks at Quibi were trying to put their best foot forward here. Rogers even mentioned in the story that his visit to Quibi’s offices felt like a pitch meeting, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it was all smoke and mirrors. Within the story, Rogers made sure to differentiate between objective fact and the pro-Quibi stance of those involved. Plus, given the story’s purpose, these perspectives and opinions are relevant and necessary.
Use of Links
There are several links embedded throughout the story. Some lead to interviews of Katzenberg and Whitman conducted by other journalists. Others lead to previous reporting on Quibi published by a variety of media outlets. There are even a few that lead to Wired’s reporting on some of the other streaming services.
While it’s helpful that Rogers decided to provide some outside sources to support his reporting, I think he could have gone further. For example, as I was reading, there were a few points where I wished he would’ve linked to more information about the viewership numbers and audience behavior he referenced. I wanted to learn more.
Credibility of the Reporter
I do think that Rogers comes across as credible. First of all, he has had a long career covering science, technology, and pop culture. Quibi certainly falls within his area of expertise. Second, while the story had to be edited after publication to correct a YouTube viewership metric, he was transparent about having made that correction. A note explaining the change was added at the end of the piece. Third, he was also transparent about Wired’s connections to Quibi. Fairly early on in the story, he disclosed the fact that Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch sits on Quibi’s board and that Wired might end up producing a show for the platform. While it’s important for readers to keep that potential conflict of interest in mind, Rogers’ reporting is measured and informative. This isn’t an ad for Quibi disguised as a magazine article.
Overall, I give it a B+
Though somewhat lacking in links, Rogers sat down with an interesting assortment of people for this story and looked at Quibi from several angles. I do wish Rogers would have dug into the perspective of the viewer a bit more. While he does cover some of the reasons to believe that audiences will/won’t flock to Quibi, hearing directly from potential viewers would add to that insight.
Additionally, we know from the story that MarketCast has been measuring online chatter surrounding shows announced for the platform. Some are gaining more attention than others. But how does the enthusiasm for Quibi’s programming compare to the enthusiasm for other soon-to-be-released streaming services? Is MarketCast measuring this? Including that information would have enhanced readers’ understanding of how Quibi might fit into the streaming landscape.
