# HARO: new features and launches URL: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/ Covers: 2008 to May 26, 2026 Updated: 2026-10-28 License: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cite as: Newsprint, "HARO: new features and launches", https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/, updated 2026-10-28 > We confirmed 6 product launches from HARO since March 2008. The latest, Featured relaunches Connectively; HARO unaffected, was announced May 26, 2026. We also record 3 acquisitions, 1 new company and 2 shutdowns. HARO is a free email service that sends journalist queries to sources three times a day. Sources sign up free and pitch by email to a masked journalist address, and journalists manage queries in a web dashboard. Featured owns HARO and runs it with ads. ## Facts - Site: [helpareporter.com](https://www.helpareporter.com/) - Founded: 2008 - Category: Journalist requests and relationships - Status: Active - Price: free, email-based, ad-supported; free sign-up as a source; Featured sells the paid workflow layer separately. ## Every dated launch, newest first ### Featured relaunches Connectively; HARO unaffected Announced May 26, 2026. Featured announced Connectively's revival as HARO's paid-platform sister brand, saying HARO itself was not going anywhere. Source: [HARO Blog](https://blog.helpareporter.com/connectively-is-back-and-haro-isnt-going-anywhere/). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-E357 ### AI-Generated Response Detection Available July 8, 2025. Journalists can filter out pitches flagged as AI-generated and see a per-response AI-likelihood indicator in HARO. Features: [Journalist requests](https://www.newsprint.com/features/#feature-journalist-requests). Source: [HARO Blog](https://blog.helpareporter.com/haro-now-detects-ai-generated-responses/). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-R181 ### Journalist Dashboard to view and manage queries Available June 23, 2025. Journalists got a dashboard to track and manage the queries they submitted. Features: [Journalist requests](https://www.newsprint.com/features/#feature-journalist-requests). Source: [HARO blog (Change Log, 23 Jun 2025)](https://blog.helpareporter.com/haro-journalist-dashboard-view-manage-queries/). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-N173 ### Podcasts category for guest requests Available June 16, 2025. HARO added a category where podcast hosts post queries for guests. Features: [Podcast, speaking and award slots](https://www.newsprint.com/features/#feature-podcasts-and-awards), [Journalist requests](https://www.newsprint.com/features/#feature-journalist-requests). Source: [HARO blog (Change Log, 16 Jun 2025)](https://blog.helpareporter.com/find-podcast-guests-for-your-podcast-with-haro/). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-N172 ### First HARO edition under Featured ownership Available April 22, 2025. Featured sent the first HARO email digest under its ownership, reviving the free, ad-supported newsletter. Source: [Featured: About](https://featured.com/about). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-E260 ### Cision sells HARO brand to Featured.com Announced April 15, 2025. Cision announced the sale of the Help A Reporter Out (HARO) brand and name to Featured.com. Source: [Cision press release](https://www.cision.com/about/press-releases/2025-press-releases/cision-announces-sale-of-help-a-reporter-out-haro-to-featuredcom-302427990/). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-E256 ### Connectively (formerly HARO) discontinued Announced Dec. 9, 2024. Cision permanently discontinued the Connectively (HARO) platform to focus on its CisionOne product. Source: [Cision](https://www.cision.com/connectively-has-been-discontinued/). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-E225 ### HARO email digest ends, users moved to Connectively Announced April 2, 2024. HARO's daily email digest ended as subscribers were required to create new Connectively accounts to access queries. Source: [Sword and the Script](https://www.swordandthescript.com/2024/04/goodbye-haro/). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-E189 ### Vocus merges with Cision Announced 2014. Vocus, HARO's owner, merged with Cision Inc., making HARO a Cision brand. Source: [Wikipedia: Help a Reporter Out](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help_a_Reporter_Out). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-E027 ### Vocus acquires HARO Announced June 2010. Vocus, Inc. acquired Help A Reporter Out; founder Peter Shankman joined Vocus as VP. Source: [Wikipedia: Help a Reporter Out](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help_a_Reporter_Out). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-E014 ### Help A Reporter Out thrice-daily source-request email Available March 2008. HARO sent reporters' source requests to an opt-in email list three times a day from helpareporter.com. Features: [Journalist requests](https://www.newsprint.com/features/#feature-journalist-requests). Source: [Poynter (Help A Reporter Out: What Do Journalists Really Want?, 16 Dec 2008)](https://www.poynter.org/?p=93220). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-N171 ### HARO founded Announced 2008. Peter Shankman founded Help A Reporter Out (HARO) as a Facebook group connecting journalists with sources. Source: [Wikipedia: Help a Reporter Out](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help_a_Reporter_Out). Link: https://www.newsprint.com/companies/haro/#launch-E008 ## Methodology and corrections How we track launches, and how to report an error: https://www.newsprint.com/updates/pr-software/#methodology