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.
Earlier this month the Society of Editors welcomed an announcement by the government that differentiating fake news from accurate reporting online may be taught in primary and secondary schools in the wake of far-right riots across the UK.
Guardian US has announced the appointment of Georgia Warren as editorial director, membership and supporter strategy.
Tindle Newspapers has announced the appointment of a new regional digital editor to lead on online editorial content at four of its Devon titles.
News/Media Alliance succeeds in takedowns by platforms using illegal technology to bypass news publisher paywalls.
Media commentator and former national newspaper editor Paul Connew looks at how Kamala Harris replacing Joe Biden has dramatically shifted the election ball game and why celebrity endorsements might just hold the keys to the White House…
New research from the Universities of Leeds and Derby into public perceptions of journalism in the UK has been released.
BBC Sounds has announced it is working with Tortoise Media to bring three podcast series to its service.
IPSO sets out efforts to raise editorial standards and protect the public and freedom of expression in its annual report for 2023.
Mail Sport’s new football memory game tests readers’ knowledge of the Premier League.
Evening Standard Limited has announced the launch of The London Standard, a new weekly publication from the Evening Standard.
The new editorial team and vertical will dive deeper into the world of sports memorabilia, and features a multi-year exclusive collectibles partnership with eBay.
The Financial Times iOS app is now compatible with Apple CarPlay.
Mail Sport has announced chief football writer Sami Mokbel has become the latest addition to their team of columnists.
How should publishers deal with the AI platforms?
Marketforce have conquered the National 3 Peaks and raised over £4k for NewstrAid.
