The newspaper business was built for a world where one product served everyone and advertising paid for most of it. That model has gone. What replaces it is still being worked out title by title, from national groups to weeklies covering a single town.
Reader revenue is the clearest shift. Even Reach, which argued for free access for years, now puts some of its journalism behind a paywall, and the regional titles doing best changed their newsrooms before they asked anyone to pay. Ownership keeps changing too. National World rebuilt local editorships after years of centralisation, and the Observer is being reinvented as a premium print and digital title under new owners.
The strongest publishers understand the difference because they are not trying to be everything to everyone. They are trying to be essential to someone.
Chris Sherrard News media
Local news is where the pressure shows most. Millions of people now live without a dedicated local title, and new reader-funded and membership startups are moving into the gaps. Platforms are pulling back from news at the same time, which leaves trust and a direct relationship with readers as the assets that matter most.
Print hasn't disappeared either. Well-run weeklies still hold on to their readers, with circulation falling slowly while digital audiences grow.
Below you'll find some of our best feature articles on news media, from reader revenue and newsroom change to ownership, local news and trust, alongside our latest news and industry commentary.
Where is the growth opportunity for today’s publishers? Douglas McCabe tracks how the commercial model has evolved over the past fifty years and examines whether a better understanding of what online audiences want, will help drive future growth.
We asked Chris Sherrard, editor-in-chief of The Irish News, what does best practice publishing look like in news media? This is what he said…
After years of resisting paywalls, Reach is now launching them across its titles. But David Higgerson, Reach’s chief content officer, carefully avoided the word ‘U-turn’ when interviewed by Steve Dyson.
It’s one thing to think that readers should pay for your journalism, but the reality is that unless you improve your offering, then you will struggle to start charging for it, as DC Thomson Editor-in-Chief Frank O’Donnell tells Ciar Byrne.
How can you edit a regional newspaper when you never visit the area you’re writing about? By filling it with generic content, an approach that National World’s David Montgomery, the new owner of JPI Media, is rapidly doing away with.
Ray Snoddy talks to Co-CEO Rich Furness about the thinking behind Tortoise Media’s acquisition of the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper and about their plans for its future.
What’s the outlook for national news media in 2024? Christian Broughton, CEO of The Independent, looks ahead.
There is a new generation of entrepreneurs launching local media businesses, bringing with them new ideas on business models and funding. Phil Clark looks at some of the stand-out examples.
With Meta backing away from ‘news’ and AI accelerating the growth of disinformation, we need to redouble our efforts to safeguard access to quality journalism, says News Media Association Chief Executive Owen Meredith.
East Lothian is not just the best place to live – it has the best newsbrand too. Alan Geere heads over the border to find out what’s happening in the world of Scottish weeklies.
It’s one thing to think that readers should pay for your journalism, but the reality is that unless you improve your offering, then you will struggle to start charging for it, as DC Thomson Editor-in-Chief Frank O’Donnell tells Ciar Byrne.
In terms of female representation in the newsroom, progress is being made, but we mustn’t get complacent because there is still lots of work to be done. For a start, says Jem Collins, we need to broaden our definition of diversity and accessibility.
What’s the outlook for national news media in 2023? Emma Callaghan, sales & invention director at Reach, looks ahead.
What does 2023 hold for the regional press? Iliffe Editorial Director Ian Carter looks ahead.
The closure of local newspapers is creating news deserts. PressReader’s Ruairí Doyle says that tech is the solution.
Regional publishers have struggled to develop viable digital revenue streams, but Smartico’s Christian Scherbel has spotted encouraging new opportunities.
How Fleet Street covered the disappearance and search for Nicola Bulley, contrasting coverage (north and south) of Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation, The Times goes after the water companies and front page of the fortnight.
The National Union of Journalists has called on the government and police to act swiftly and robustly to secure the safety of journalists working across the UK and to defend media freedom.
Brand Metrics has announced it has bolstered its client services team with the appointment of Agnes Asplund Schmidt as customer success manager.
Edward Lord Faulks KC has been re-appointed to serve a further three years as chairman of IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
Impress has revealed a new standards code which will ensure their members can report responsibly and continue to serve the valuable functions the public expects of them.
Ozone’s shareholders – News UK, Reach plc, Guardian News & Media and Telegraph Media Group – have announced a new wave of funding for the publisher joint venture.
Media Voices have revealed the shortlist for the fourth year of the Publisher Podcast Awards.
The first Financial Times email course aims to guide readers on their business school journey.
Or how to tell the difference between a hamper, an earpiece and a dog's dick. Here’s a glossary, courtesy of Neil Benson.
