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.
With the demand for video content seemingly insatiable, it’s no surprise video is becoming a significant revenue stream for some publishers. Yet, writes Jo Bowman, monetisation strategies are still in their infancy and the pace of change is rapid.
It's summer holiday time for the InPublishing news desk.
The latest IPA Bellwether survey published this week shows a sharp upward revision in marketing budgets in Q2 2013. The rise is the highest in almost six years.
Molly Blooms Birthday Parade, a new oneshot from Practical Publishing International, goes on sale 25 July, priced £7.99.
Terra Mater, a new alternate monthly title from Austria, covering nature and science, has its UK launch on 24 July, priced £5.90.
Local newspapers are far more trusted for local news than Facebook, a YouGov survey of than 2,000 people across the UK has found.
Following the positive announcement by the OFT last month, a new structure will be put in place to facilitate the integration of the former Iliffe businesses with the former Northcliffe businesses in the Midlands.
Guardian News & Media (GNM) has announced that Tim Hunt has been appointed marketing director.
Emma Bryant and Rebecca Davies have been promoted to editor of Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star, respectively.
The NCTJ has awarded accreditation for the first time to four journalism courses and has renewed accreditation for 26 courses.
Future, the international media group and leading digital publisher, has announced the reorganisation of its UK senior management structure, as the company continues to transition towards becoming a predominantly digital business.
Informa Plc, the international publishing, business information and events company, has announced that Peter Rigby will retire as Group Chief Executive at the end of 2013.
Wimbledon winner Andy Murray will appear in the 75th anniversary issue of The Beano, which goes on sale on Wednesday 24th July.
Archant Herts & Cambs weekly the Herts Advertiser featured on the nation’s television screens this week in BBC1’s popular The Apprentice series, following its coverage of local contestant Luisa Zissman.
The PCC has rejected complaints about a photograph of a child that appeared in two Scottish publications.
