News
FT appoints Helen Thomas
The Financial Times has appointed Helen Thomas as business columnist, effective 1 March.
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
Zephr raises $8 million
Zephr, a technology platform that helps media companies grow their subscription revenue, has raised $8 million, led by BDMI and financing from SVB.
News
vjoon unveils integration of publishing and DAM systems
vjoon, a leading global vendor of solutions for managing digital content, introduces vjoon K4 Version 11 and vjoon seven Version 2.
News
Newsquest to launch new daily newspaper for Oldham
The Oldham Times, a weekly newspaper which was launched by Newsquest three years ago, is to become a daily paper in the New Year.
News
Passendo launches in the UK market
Passendo, a leading European in-email advertising platform commercialising newsletter inventory, has launched its ad server and exchange capabilities in the UK market.
News
IPSO publishes research on transgender coverage
The press regulator IPSO has published research on editorial standards in coverage of transgender issues between 2009 and 2019.
Q&A
What we’ve learnt in 2020: 5 minutes with… Lucy Howard
What a year it’s been, with lots of challenges, but also opportunities. Ahead of next week’s Campaign Publishing Summit, we grab five minutes with Lucy Howard, head of marketing at Haymarket, to discuss the key takeaways from this year.
News
News UK TV given approval to launch
Rupert Murdoch’s forthcoming News UK TV channel has been given approval to launch by Ofcom, it has been announced.
News
Standfirst software suite now includes Alexa Flash Briefing tools
Interconnect IT has announced the general availability of Standfirst for Alexa, with self-service sign-up.
News
The Express and Reach local titles launch Brilliantly British campaign
The Express has launched its Brilliantly British campaign. It is a call from the Daily Express and Reach’s local titles asking the nation to support Brilliantly British businesses in retail sectors.
News
European Parliament Warns Of Dangers To Media Freedom
The European Parliament has warned of attempts to silence critics and undermine pluralism, stating that media freedom, pluralism and the safety of journalists are crucial to the freedom of expression and information.
News
Cafeyn announces investment from Bregal Milestone
Cafeyn, a digital media streaming platform, has announced it has secured funding from Bregal Milestone, a European growth capital fund.
News
MPs form group to safeguard children from fake news
A group of politicians have assembled to reform online safety teaching in schools and teach children how to spot misinformation online.
News
NMA Welcomes Government Response to CMA Market Study
The News Media Association has welcomed the Government’s response to the CMA’s market study into online platforms and digital advertising.
News
The Evening Standard and TikTok launch Future Theatre Fund
The Evening Standard and TikTok have announced the launch of the Evening Standard Future Theatre Fund, created to support the next generation of theatre makers.
