This archive report was first published on 22 August 2019.
Published on August 22, 2019, a conversation with Mr. Brown, owner of Liftable, shed light on his business and its efforts to adapt to the ever-changing social media landscape.
Mr. Brown emphasized the importance of transparency, stating, 'Our goal is to show you who we are and be transparent.' He acknowledged that Facebook's algorithm changes had affected his business but noted that most of these changes were aimed at 'protecting the user — and you know, we support that.'
Mr. Brown's father had a limited role in the company's day-to-day operations, serving primarily as a sounding board for business and management issues. When asked about potential similarities between Liftable and his father's PACs, Mr. Brown declined to comment.
He emphasized that Liftable's goal was to inform truthfully, stating, 'I would never want to do what he did. When you make an ad or something, you are — your whole goal is to just convince someone of something, right? I mean, our goal is not that. Our No. 1 goal is to inform — truthfully.'
The Western Journal, a website owned by Liftable, operates in a unique manner. Its editors focus on countering narratives in mainstream media and seeking out information to inform and motivate their audience. A team of 'story finders' scours social media data and newswires daily to identify relevant narratives.
According to Shaun Hair, The Western Journal's executive editor, 'They're looking for information, narratives that will inform and equip and motivate our audience.' The website's approach involves selecting facts to support a predetermined message, with headlines and frames often adjusted later to ensure accuracy.
