I spoke to Matthew Segal, the cofounder and editor in chief of ATTN:, about what inspired him to become an advocate for student voting rights, how he built his career around a social cause, how we can improve voting turnout for millennials, his goals for the future and his best career advice.
ATTN: is an issues-driven media company with a mission to deliver engaging content to a mobile-first audience. Since launching ATTN: in the fall of 2014, Matthew has built its editorial department from the ground up, honing the voice, tone, and style of its video, writing, and visual storytelling teams. In just two years, with no paid growth, ATTN:’s content receives more than two billion monthly impressions and over 400 million monthly video views. Previously, Matthew was the cofounder and president of OurTime.org, one of the nation’s largest non-profit organizations committed to increasing voter participation among young Americans.
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Dan Schawbel: Growing up in Chicago, what inspired you to become an advocate for student voting rights? How were you able to take this passion and then turn it into a business with a social cause?
Matthew Segal: I didn’t grow up very political, but when I went to college in Ohio, a swing state, I quickly realized how much my vote mattered. When I actually voted for the first time in 2004, my school (Kenyon College) had extremely long lines - about 12 hours long at the peak. This upset me deeply and inspired my early activism.
Growing an online audience, which is a huge part of my business now at ATTN:, is essentially a derivative of social/ grassroots activism. In both endeavors, you have to figure out how to tap into people's nerves with a cogent message and get them to feel something that makes them want to tell their friends and family and mobilize. Starting a media company with a mission to make a social impact was a logical progression of my desire to inform people about important issues and get them to take action.
Schawbel: After founding Our Time, why did you decide to launch ATTN:? With so many media outlets now, how was this property able to stand out and find an active audience?
Segal: There are many hard news outlets and many entertainment media outlets. We are in a different category. ATTN: is an issues-driven media company. Our goal is to build an active audience around key societal topics such as civil rights, economic empowerment, improving health, and protecting our environment.
During my time registering voters, we realized that many people didn't understand why voting was so important or they felt that their vote didn’t matter. Translating issues into short, digestible information that meets people where they live (online and on mobile phones) was the founding premise of the company. We needed to give people the “why” to get them to engage in social activism. That’s what ATTN: is doing everyday.
We are now proud to reach over 400 million monthly viewers.
Schawbel: New research in the Economist finds that young people aren't voting. Why do you think this happens and what can we do about it?
Segal: I wish there was a simple answer, but there are many things that must change. First, we must improve civic education. Only a fraction of states teach civics in schools. That's a shame. How can we expect people to learn the importance of government and voting if we don't teach it in school?
Second, we must reform our electoral system. Too many people feel as if their votes don't count because they live in states that are extremely gerrymandered and because our system of voting itself is outdated. Why do we make people in certain states register to vote 30 days prior to an election (and often miss a deadline) when we have the administrative capability of allowing them to register and vote on the same day? Third, media is too often making us more cynical by focusing on politics as though it's merely a competitive sport or a game. They should cover policy and issues, too, and explain how politics affects people’s lives everyday.
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Schawbel: What are your goals for the future? What role do you think millennials will have in politics as we grow up with them?
Segal: Our goal is to continue to grow ATTN: and get our content on more platforms and in more places so we can inform people around the issues that affect their lives. With respect to millennials' role in politics, we have to help our institutions think long-term. Reducing poverty or improving our climate will take decades. We have to become the political leaders who can think past the next election and pursue change that will make our lives better in 10, 20 and 30 plus years.
Schawbel: What are your top three pieces of career advice?
Segal:
1. Learn to write and speak concisely.
2. Find mentors and don't be afraid to ask them for help.
3. Understand populism and what fuels the crowd.
