Facebook unveils ‘bulletin,’ a newsletter subscription service

Facebook debuted a newsletter subscription service Tuesday, an attempt to court influential writers to its platform as more creators branch out from traditional publications and go independent.

To jump-start the service, called Bulletin, Facebook spent months recruiting dozens of writers across different categories — including sports, entertainment, science and health — paying them upfront to bring their readers to Facebook’s platform. The writers include New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell, author Mitch Albom and organizational psychologist Adam Grant. Facebook plans to expand the program and partner with more writers over time, including those who focus on local news.