Los Angeles Times comes out with project to reach younger and more diverse audiences

The 404 is a new Los Angeles Times project being billed as ‘a burner account’ for the legacy newspaper. Known informally as the meme team during its formation, the 404 is the first-ofits-kind collective in any major US newsroom. Unlike other social teams — including the Times’ own audience engagement staff — the 404 does not create content to amplify existing journalism. And readers won’t see work by the 404 on the Times’ website. Instead, the 404 has been tasked with continually inventing new types of experimental content in hopes of reaching younger, more diverse audiences who are not already reading or engaging with The L.A. Times. The staff for 404 have one thing in common, though: they’re all extremely online!