The publication gets its name from the codename used by the
U.S. Secret Service for the U.S. Capitol. In a January 2021 interview with the
Columbia Journalism Review, co-founder
Jake Sherman indicated that ''Punchbowl's'' objectives were to: • make news "a conversation between... audience and... reporters". • "chart power and... focus on the one hundred [persons in power who] matter... congressional leadership... people around [them],
corporations that war in Washington, [along with] leadership at the
White House". Sherman indicated that the publication would be non-partisan, and refrain from value judgments and commentary, focusing instead on identifying newsworthy facts. Washington insiders, as subscribers, were the
Punchbowls initial
target market. Sherman described his target market as "people who have to exist in Washington, people who have to exist in the government or who deeply care about the government, either as a hobby or as a profession." Sherman said that
Punchbowl News would differentiate itself from other media by largely ignoring sensational stories about the declarations, posturing, and
gaffes of individual politicians and officials — focusing, instead, on "power... exercise of power... people abusing power". ==History and activities==