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.
The Campaign for Freedom of Information has welcomed a Court of Appeal ruling overturning the Government’s veto of an Upper Tribunal decision ordering the release of Prince Charles’ correspondence with ministers.
Forbes announced yesterday its expansion into the Latin American market with plans to launch editions in the Dominican Republic and Central America in March 2014 in partnership with Media Business Generators (MBG).
WoodWing Software has released version 9.2 of its multi-channel publishing system Enterprise. Via a brand new connector, this release enables the centralized publication of content to WordPress sites.
Calibre Quarterly claims to be the first luxury lifestyle magazine in the UK to exclusively target mature men.
Condé Nast has announced the launch of House, a sophisticated design, decoration, food and lifestyle site with all the authority of the House & Garden brand, live 13th March 2014.
Amaury Group, one of the largest publishing houses in France, has chosen MPP Global Solutions to deliver a new payment, eCommerce and customer relationship management (CRM) system.
Archant has launched a new luxury title for the Cheshire market and also made significant improvements to its existing title, Cheshire Life.
CDS Global has announced Jon Westnedge as regional director, Asia Pacific for CDS Global, Australia, effective immediately.
Imagine Publishing has announced the launch of Uncanny Comics, the first digital-only comics magazine designed specifically for the growing digital comics market, say the publishers.
The Financial Times has launched the FT Global Commercial Academy (GCA), a new learning and development programme for the FT’s commercial team, bringing staff the latest insight and skills in digital advertising and development from a range of in-hou
The latest ABCe audit has revealed that the Newsquest network of local sites now attracts a bigger daily audience than any other regional newspaper group in the UK, claim the publishers.
Simon Rumble has been promoted from the role of Senior Project Manager at censhare to Sales Manager for censhare UK covering UK and Ireland.
The Wall Street Journal’s global advertising department has announced the launch of a new content strategy division, WSJ. Custom Studios.
Herald and Times Group is building on the growth of its digital subscriptions by releasing a new TV campaign aimed at inspiring both current and potential audiences.
The World Association of Newspaper and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) launched Women in News 2014 in Lusaka, Zambia, on 10 March, as part of a series of national events that coincide with International Women’s Day.
