a16z Backs New Media Venture MTS

Andreessen Horowitz announced its investment in a new media venture, Monitoring the Situation (MTS). The company aims to provide immediate insights into unfolding events across technology, business, politics, and culture.

MTS will operate primarily on X, formerly Twitter, interviewing key figures and analyzing current events in real-time. This approach draws inspiration from the original vision for CNN, which sought to cover "Current Things" exhaustively.

The venture sees X as the de facto platform for understanding how the world's leaders process information, positioning MTS to capture this dynamic.

This investment in a new media company marks a significant play in the evolving digital content landscape.

Sense-Making in Real-Time

Erik Torenberg and Brent Liang are spearheading the initiative, with early backing from angel investors including Dan Romero and Packy McCormick.

The founding team features Chris Bakke, Theo Jaffee, and Gabriel Dickinson, among others. Initial hosts and contributors include prominent figures like Mark Halperin and Steven Sinofsky, covering a spectrum of expertise.

MTS is actively seeking hosts, guests, sponsors, and contributors to join its mission of real-time analysis.

The company's objective is to be the premier destination for immediate sense-making, a concept echoed by figures like Marc Andreessen who describe it as understanding "what the hell is happening and why?"

The service is now live on X, with a dedicated Discord community for engagement.