Chris Hughes announced he has purchased a majority share of The New Republic Friday, becoming the publication’s publisher and editor-in-chief – all at the tender age of 28. Hughes was the former social media advisor to then-Sen. Barack Obama in 2008, and a co-founder of Facebook.
The gay entrepreneur confirmed his interest and purchase in The New Republic, explaining:
It seems that today too many media institutions chase superficial metrics of online virality at the expense of investing in rigorous reporting and analysis of the most important stories of our time. When few people are investing in media institutions with such bold aims as “enlightenment to the problems of the nation,” I believe we must.
He added: “In the next era of The New Republic, we will aggressively adapt to the newest information technologies without sacrificing our commitment to serious journalism.”
Hughes is engaged to partner Sean Eldridge. The couple were featured in a May 2011 spread at The Advocate in its acclaimed “40 Under 40” list. Eldridge serves as a senior advisor at Freedom to Marry.
“Sean and I are in a really unique position,” Hughes said in his interview at The Advocate. “We’re young and we both want to have a serious impact on the world.”
I hope it blows huffpost out of the water…