Exclusive: Beehiiv brings on Lance Frank as first comms hire

Details: Frank will report to Beehiiv CEO Tyler Denk and will oversee all communications and events strategy.

• Frank joins Beehiiv from Paramount, where he most recently served as head of communications for CBS News, Stations and CBS Media Ventures.

What they're saying: "We still get put in the newsletter platform box, which is understandable given how Beehiiv started, but it really undersells what we've built and where we're going," Frank told Axios.

• "I think a big part of my job is to help the market understand this is an infrastructure for anyone who has an audience. So I think sharpening that story is definitely a huge priority in terms of how we're talked about and how we talk about ourselves."

Zoom in: Beehiiv has captured independent journalists like Joanna Stern, Tom Sietsema, Hope King and Oliver Darcy and traditional media organizations like Hearst, the Washington Post, Time and TechCrunch.

What to watch: Beehiiv recently launched its native podcasting offering and announced an AI integration that lets users manage and optimize their accounts.

More on Axios:

• Beehiiv to allow creators to manage accounts through AI platforms
• The Washington Post launches creator-led newsletter on Beehiiv