Profile of Upworthy

     Social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter weren't designed with the intention of sharing news articles or videos. Over the past couple of years, users shifted their focus from sharing personal photos and statuses to sharing quirky stories and videos they found interesting. Puppy videos, cooking videos, memes and random stories (often devoid of serious meaning) became the primary content on newsfeeds — and that's where Upworthy comes in. Upworthy is an independent news outlet that seeks to bring attention to stories that matter.
     "Lots of media companies have a mission," their website reads. "But Upworthy is on a mission to change what the world pays attention to."
     Upworthy first began as a sort of wire where stories were shared from on social media. The founders understood the public craved better stories on their social media feeds, and they were correct. As Upworthy gained success, the staff decided to create its own content. The stories shared are inspirational, uplifting and meaningful, contrary to the former content shared. They don't have traditional story beats such as sports and politics, instead the stories are categorized into different positive topics: "Being a Better Human," "Citizenship & Democracy," "Culture," "Education," "Health and Well-being," "Identities," "Inspiration," "Money and Work," "Places," "Relationships" and "Science and Technology."
     In terms of revenue, Upworthy does not ask its readers and viewers for donations, nor does the site have many (if any at all) advertisements. The only obvious advertisements are the ones on the publication's YouTube videos. Fans of Upworthy don't need to pay for content either: clicking on the "Subscribe" tab on the website places you on a free e-mailing list. With such few attempts to earn money, Upworthy prides itself on being a wholesome source for news that sticks to its mission of upholding integrity.
     And this integrity is most admirably displayed in the job descriptions: "Everyone at Upworthy has unlimited time off. To make sure folks are actually recharging, we even give a vacation bonus that can only be used for taking an actual phone-off, not-checking-in vacation."
     Upworthy builds positive content, but it also creates a positive work environment. The mission of the publication is clear and resonates throughout every aspect of the business. "We're all part of the same story," and Upworthy expresses that in every aspect of the site.