“We knew there was a rabid group of readers”: 9 months after launching, Defector nears 40k subscribers
“Stick to sports”. An edict that caused a mass editorial exit from G/O Media-owned Deadspin toward the end of 2019. Just a few months later, several of these writers had… (more)
“It’s been a galvanising moment for us”: How Quartz is charting an independent path to the future
The past few years have been bumpy for many publishers. Quartz is no exception; squeezed by plummeting ad revenues and a slow takeup of its membership offering, it has seemed… (more)
“The audience growth has been too good to let it go away”: How the Wall Street Journal is adapting its live journalism in a virtual age
One of the Wall Street Journal’s newer projects is the Live Journalism team; a group of journalists who build agendas and source guests for the publisher’s events. They operate with… (more)
7 things we’ve learned from launching a daily newsletter
Four months ago, we launched the first edition of our new daily newsletter The Media Roundup. We previously had a longstanding weekly newsletter that listed the stories we’d discussed on that… (more)
Finding sustainable post-pandemic business models for news: Reuters Institute’s Rasmus Nielsen
The events of this year have laid bare a very real issue with many news business models. Publishers have seen record-breaking levels of traffic and engagement with their content as… (more)
“It’s a more intimate way of consuming journalism:” Why The Correspondent launched an audio-only app
The Correspondent, famous for their 2018 ‘unbreak the news’ crowdfunding campaign, are branching out into audio to bring their journalism to members in new ways. A year after the English-language… (more)
How Future is growing its new gardening brand after a quick-fire launch
During lockdown, Future plc has been busy launching a number of brands following the completion of its acquisition of TI Media in April. We caught up with Jason Orme, Future’s… (more)
8 ways publishers are making money from podcasts
Despite having been around for years, podcasting is still a relatively new medium for many publishers. This in turn means that routes to sustainability in terms of revenue can seem… (more)
Apple News+ was deeply flawed from the start. Is there really a future for publishers on the platform?
Apple seemed to have a good thing going with its News product. It was clean, easy to navigate, and pulled content responsively into Apple’s templates, allowing articles to be read… (more)
From 6k to 93k YouTube subscribers in 8 months: Inside the Evening Standard’s growth strategy
The Evening Standard is best known for its London-based free daily newspaper, and has been one of the many publishers hit hard by lockdown and a dramatic reduction in advertising… (more)
Apple News+ to intercept publisher traffic, with iOS 14 update
One topic Tim Cook apparently wasn’t quizzed hard enough on in his Congress appearance was the future of its Apple News product. Apple’s upcoming operating system, iOS 14 (which is… (more)
Is the COVID magazine subscription bump a short-term trend or a long-term bet?
For some publishers, magazine subscriptions have been an unexpected bright spot amidst the pandemic. Dennis Publishing have recently reported that subscription rates across all titles have increased by 9% overall during the… (more)
Green-fingered publishers see growth in gardening and sustainability
Lockdown has changed many aspects of daily life, but some publishers have spotted an opportunity as interest rises in gardening and sustainable living. From creating your own perfect outdoor space… (more)
How The Conversation is turning 100 million pageviews into trust in experts
Many publishers have enjoyed traffic spikes over the past few months, from news publishers covering the developing crisis to hobby and special interest sites providing entertainment and light relief during… (more)
How Hearst UK’s new product testing facility aims to enhance relationships with readers and partners
Hearst UK has unveiled The Hearst Institute, a state-of-the-art testing facility to enhance its product testing and accreditation capabilities across its brands. The 8,000 square foot site in Feltham, South… (more)
8 lessons from Hearst Live and New Scientist on running successful virtual events
As the impact of the pandemic continues to be felt around the world, it is clear that events - a staple of many publisher’s strategies - will continue to be… (more)
What we learned about changing podcast consumption, from the Digital News Report 2020
The Reuters Institute’s annual Digital News Report has become a hotly anticipated release over the past few years, and more so than ever this year as the industry grapples with… (more)
Growth, not survival, is the priority for media entrepreneurs
A survey from media consulting firm Collingwood Advisory of media owners has suggested that for many, growth, rather than just survival, remains a priority during the crisis. The ‘Growth Amid… (more)
Pandemics, protests and politics: How The Week Junior tackles tough topics with its readers
Keeping up with the news is challenging for us adults at the best of times, and more so now than ever. More than 1 in 5 British people now actively… (more)
The Guardian rolls out global tests of its registration wall
News publisher the Guardian has ramped up tests of its registration wall to its global audience, with growing numbers of readers having reported spotting it over the past few weeks.… (more)
