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.
David Yelland last edited a national newspaper in 2003 and has spent the rest of his career in PR, but you would never guess that from his Twitter feed where he sets out robust comments on political issues and the state of the media industry.
BSME has unveiled the shortlists for its 2024 awards.
Both publishers and advertisers are frustrated with their digital partners. It’s time for a reboot, says Jim Chisholm.
Daily Mail says it has galvanised its leadership and operational structure to seize future industry opportunities.
The Guardian has launched the Filter, a guide for independent product reviews, buying advice and sustainable shopping.
In an online ecosystem where misinformation runs rife, hard news’s vital brand-safe role for advertisers has never been more important, writes Newsworks’ agency and client relations director Mel Leslie.
In a world where discourse is dominated by social media, where bad actors manipulate, suppress and control what people read and hear, independent and principled journalism has never been more essential.
Jim Bilton analyses the responses to the latest mediashapers poll to find out. One thread running through the responses can be summed up as, ‘Terminator wars in Media World’. Jim explains…
Utiq has announced it is to include home internet connections within its Authentic Consent Service.
The day posed a tricky front-page challenge for Britain’s newspaper editors, writes Paul Connew. What to lead on…
Earlier this week The Independent published its full year results, and has posted an 82% increase in profit.
PA Media has announced a new partnership with The Journal FactCheck, supported by the Google News Initiative, aimed at tackling mis- and disinformation ahead of the next Irish general election.
The Times and Sunday Times have announced the launch of a new weekly global podcast on technology - The Tech Podcast from The Times.
Zach Rosen has been appointed fractional general manager to drive growth for Multilocal in the US market.
James White, chief commercial officer of The Standard, has decided to leave the business after 19 years.
