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.
This year’s Shift conference heard a lot about the negative impact of short termism and the positive advertising environment provided by premium sites. So, when will agencies and brands start to change their current buying patterns? Ray Snoddy listen
Sophia Ankel a journalism masters student from Goldsmiths, University of London, has been announced as the winner of the 2018 Hugo Young award at a ceremony in London.
Trinity Mirror yesterday announced an expansion of its Live digital brands into the North East, Humber, South East and Devon and Cornwall regions. 49 roles are at risk of redundancy.
The IAB UK has released a study that looked at the best ways to advertise to people on smartphones and revealed that fit for purpose ads – ie optimised for smartphones – can shift brand metrics and can increase positive perceptions such as the brand
James Evelegh's editorial from this week's edition of InPubWeekly.
Branded video is a growth area for publishers. We grab five minutes with Pete Fergusson, CEO of Nemorin Film & Video, to find out why.
Meetrics says it has become the first firm outside the US to verify viewability metrics for videos served on Facebook and Instagram.
Newsquest this week launches a new weekly free title – the Burnley Star.
Teesside Gazette Editor Chris Styles is stepping down after six years at the helm.
The group editor of Newsquest Lancashire and editor of The Bolton News Ian Savage has decided to step down from his role.
Technology Intelligence, which aims to establish the Telegraph as the UK authority of technology journalism, launched yesterday.
Piano, the software company behind a content monetisation and audience platform used by a number of global publishers, announced that Bas Nawijn has been appointed as Senior Vice President of Sales, Europe.
The IAB UK commissioned a meta-analysis report in an effort to understand the level of effectiveness of digital display advertising campaigns.
Karin Pettersson, Director of Public Policy at the Schibsted Media Group, has been elected Chairwoman of the WAN-IFRA Media Freedom Board.
WAN-IFRA has announced the shortlist for the European Digital Media Awards.
