News
Regional Press Awards 2020 – winners announced
The results are in for the Regional Press Awards 2020, organised by the Society of Editors. From a field of almost 700 entries, the winners were announced in an online event.
News Media
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.
Essential Resources
FEATURE
Returning to growth
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.
Best Practice in Publishing
News media
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…
INTERVIEW
Stand and deliver!
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.
INTERVIEW
Change before charge
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.
INTERVIEW
Ditching the generic
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.
INTERVIEW
The Observer’s premium future
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.
FEATURE
Opportunities & Threats: National News Media
What’s the outlook for national news media in 2024? Christian Broughton, CEO of The Independent, looks ahead.
FEATURE
Breathing new life into local media
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.
OPINION
We Need Trusted News Brands Now More Than Ever
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.
OUT & ABOUT WITH ALAN GEERE
Weekly does it
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.
All Articles
News
Ben Cobb appointed as Editor of ES Magazine
The Evening Standard has announced the appointment of Ben Cobb as Editor of ES Magazine, across the newsprint edition and its digital platforms.
FEATURE
Preparing for digital transformation? Don’t forget your people and processes too
People, processes, and technology are critical success factors in business transformation. Get them in sync and you’ll be ready to deliver work faster, more efficiently, and at scale, writes WoodWing CEO, Ross Paterson.
News
Mirror renames Weather section “Weather & Climate”
The Mirror has announced a new weather reporting charter which sees it promising to make a regular link between extreme weather and climate change, in addition to renaming its weather section.
News
Express KCS rebrands
Express KCS, a production outsourcing specialist, has rebranded as EKCS.
News
FT poll shows 90% learnt ‘little or nothing’ about finance at school
The Financial Times has launched a new charity endorsed by the former prime minister Gordon Brown, focused on the promotion of financial literacy and inclusion around the world.
News
FT launches ‘Letters to this New World’ brand campaign
The Financial Times yesterday launched its latest brand campaign, titled ‘Letters to this New World’. The campaign invites and highlights learnings from the pandemic to help shape the future.
News
Committee Launches Inquiry Into Digital Regulation
Peers have launched an inquiry into the effectiveness of digital regulation as plans to regulate the internet progress.
News
Zephr appoints Birger Soiland
Last week, Zephr, a leading subscription experience platform, announced that Birger Soiland is joining the organisation to help scale their commercial teams.
News
New agency established to champion diverse and inclusive influencer representation
Established with the mission to increase diverse and inclusive influencer representation in the UK media, Reflect, a ‘not for profit’ D&I influencer talent management agency, will launch 16 September.
News
Cavai bolsters team with appointment of Group Agency Director
Cavai, a leading conversational advertising platform, has announced the appointment of Attique Rehman who joins the business as Group Agency Director.
News
Adnami announces two senior appointments
Emelie Malmquist will be joining Adnami, an adtech company, as the new Head of Marketing and Automation and Steph Miller has been promoted to Managing Director UK.
News
Reach appoints first dedicated Environment Correspondent for Irish titles
Reach’s Irish division has appointed its first dedicated Environment Correspondent covering its ten Irish news brands as part of a commitment to shining a light on one of the biggest global issues.
COLUMN
Liz Gerard’s Notebook
How the press covered the big social care announcement, case studies vs stats, Geronimo, Piers vs Meghan, Stokes vs The Sun, Telegraph reporting BBC bias and frontpage of the fortnight.
Q&A
Newspaper printing: 5 minutes with… Andy Jones
Publishers have lots of design and print options to help their newspapers stand out from the crowd. We grab five minutes with Andy Jones of Reach Printing Services to hear about some of the opportunities.
