Tony Kuttner describes his business as a content provider provider.
Kuttner’s company, Task Force Media, which was one of the vendors at last month’s APSE convention, doesn’t provide stories. Instead, it sets newspapers up with writers to cover games or write features, notebooks, column and so forth.
"We have a nationwide network of experienced sports writers who will create custom content tailored toward a newspapers’ needs," Kuttner said. "Everyone is looking for answers in this economy. But one of the things that newspapers have is a chance to provide unique local content to its readers. We help them do that."
Kuttner says there are three main selling points for his business. First, it makes things easy.
"If North Carolina is playing in California and a North Carolina paper wants the game covered – with an advance and notebook or whatever – all they need to do is call me and I’ll find a reliable writer for them," he said.
Second is cost.
"A lot of papers spend a lot of money sending reporters to events," he said. "We can provide that coverage for much cheaper."
But, most importantly, Kuttner says his business allows papers to get the exact coverage they need from a distance.
"The wire services do a great job. And content sharing is picking up, and seems to be a good thing, too," he said. "But neither of those options allows you to customize what you want. With both of those, you are kind of stuck with something someone else is writing.
"But we can do that for you. If you want a game story from a certain point of view, or a notebook about a certain team, we can do that."
According to Kuttner, the company will soon roll out a planning data base, designed to help clients keep track of events involving local players.
Kuttner says cost varies depending on several factors. He also said there is a pricing structure for "mass coverage," like a paper that wants coverage for an NBA team’s complete road schedule.
For more information, Kuttner can be contacted at (510) 217-8600 or tkuttner@taskforcemedia.com.
