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.
Last year, The Telegraph grew its podcast listenership 126%, one of the reasons its podcast team has been nominated for a host of awards. Meg Carter talks to Telegraph Podcast Editor Theodora Louloudis about their strategy.
Clever use of Google’s Flexible Sampling service is a potential game changer for publishers, says Full Fat Things’ Stewart Robinson.
The executive director of the Society of Editors has resigned following a row over its reaction to comments made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex about racism in the media.
Former Warner Media Data Analysis & Insights VP Pedro Cosa has been appointed to the new role of Data General Manager across News UK.
The UK media is not bigoted and will not be swayed from its vital role holding the rich and powerful to account following the attack on the press by the Sussexes, the Society of Editors has commented.
Gill Smith takes on the role as Alan Muir steps down, after a career with The Sun spanning 33 years.
Jim Bilton reviews the latest Tom Hanks film and ponders its lessons for media today.
The Sun is supporting International Women’s Day this year by celebrating the way in which women have risen to the challenge in this incredibly testing year.
The Financial Times has announced the appointment of Veronica Kan-Dapaah as head of newsroom diversity and executive editor, effective immediately.
Media Carrier has increased the current categories to include ‘Multiple Copy Business Sales’ and ‘Free Requested’, helping publishers to extend their reach and boost their circulation figures.
Newsquest, a regional media group, is launching a climate change campaign across its 160 local news brands.
Naviga, a provider of software solutions to publishing companies, has appointed Ben Edwards as sales director.
The Society of Editors says it has been saddened by news of the death of its founding executive director Bob Satchwell.
This video OTT partnership aims to offer an alternative for live match streaming and video on demand.
Regional and national publisher Reach saw a record year-on-year increase of 26 per cent in digital revenues in the last quarter of 2020, according to its full-year results.
