"Our research suggests publishers should invest in capabilities to engage in constant testing and experimentation in digital — to build engagement among digital audiences and ultimately convert engaged readers into paying subscribers. For commercial and for-profit models in particular, publishers
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should become smart across a range of new strategies, including how to configure meters and rules to calibrate a mix of free and paid access. The trends we have observed across the publishers studied suggest pricing models, marketing tactics, and new approaches to audience engagement can help publishers succeed in a news environment increasingly friendly to robust digital programs. Produced through surveys of more than 500 for-profit newsrooms, this research suggests new best practices to aid publishers in increasing and sustaining digital subscriptions. This initiative complements existing research at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public policy uncovering sustainable business models for local news and nonprofit publishers. This paper begins with recommendations for publishers to propel shifts to subscriber-focused models, how to define their news organization’s market, and how to measure engagement within that market. They are followed by a set of suggested strategies to drive a reader’s intent to subscribe, and to maintain that digital subscribership once that reader has entered a publisher’s ecosystem." (Abstract)
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"Die vorliegende Studie untersucht, wie etablierte Medienunternehmen und journalistische Neugründungen in Deutschland nutzerseitige Zahlungsbereitschaft für digitaljournalistische Inhalte besser identifizieren, fördern und abschöpfen können. Auf Grundlage einer für die deutsche Online-Bevölke
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rung repräsentativen Befragung mit rund 6.000 Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmern und acht vertiefenden Gruppendiskussionen gelangt die Studie zu folgenden Kernergebnissen: 1. Nutzerinnen und Nutzer zahlen am liebsten für „harten“ Journalismus [...] 2. Nutzerinnen und Nutzer wünschen sich Orientierungshilfe im Inhalte-Dschungel [...] 3. Digitaler Journalismus wird (immer noch) häufig als „Katze im Sack“ wahrgenommen [...] 4. Digitaler Journalismus ist Nutzerinnen und Nutzern zu teuer [...] 5. Nutzerinnen und Nutzer sollten in der Lage sein, vertrauenswürdigen und demokratisch wertvollen Journalismus erkennen zu können." (Executive Summary: Kernergebnisse)
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"This study was specfically intended to: 1. provide comprehensive insight into the public’s media consumption patterns, and its underlying causes: a) values; b) needs and interests, particularly regarding media content; c) motivation and aspirations, with specific emphasis on buying media content;
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d) financial functioning and attitudes towards different types of payment systems, etc. and 2. provide comprehensive analysis and recommendations to inform the Strengthening Media Systems Activity (SMS) programmatic approach in all aspects of media sustainability, as well as to inform organizational and business strategies and tactics of different types of media outlets on the local, regional and national levels. The research implemented in 2019 combined a variety of methods (both quantitative and qualitative) and techniques (a face-to-face-survey and computer-assisted web interviewing, or CAWI), and targeted a number of groups – a representative sample of 1500 respondents age 15 to 65 for the face-to-face survey, a sample of 100 daily internet users for web interviews, and 96 internet and local media users aged 15 to 65 for the 12 focus group discussions in Belgrade, Niš, Kragujevac, Novi Sad, Sombor, Loznica, and Zajecar. The key aim of the research was to gain an in-depth understanding of the needs, habits, and expectations of the audience, in order to facilitate rational and informed discussion about the media sector and public attitudes; and strategic decision-making by media businesses, with the starting assumption that understanding audience needs and profiling target groups constitutes integral parts of any media business strategy in terms of both preparing and formatting media content. Thus, the study was structured to facilitate the achievement of SMS objectives and to provide directions for SMS strategic and operational interventions in the following areas: 1. Content production and editorial policy, 2. Content sources and formats, 3. Interaction and community involvement, and 4. Financial sustainability." (Abstract, page 2-3)
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"This research is based on the belief that there is no journalism crisis, but a business model one. So, learning from successful experiences that innovate in the business is the first step towards building a healthier media landscape in other countries. During this paper I will focus specially in tw
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o European news startups launched in the last 11 years which betted for audience support and up to date have succeeded in reaching a very influential position in the media landscape of their countries. Both are economically profitable as well. They are Eldiario.es from Spain and Mediapart from France. Founded by experienced and already well-known journalists, both news outlets are ranked in the top 10 most frequently visited websites in their countries (competing with legacy media brands from all platforms). They are also in the top three in terms of trust, according to the 2019 DNR. They have constantly increased their newsrooms and multiplied more than five time their budgets since launching. They published scoops that dominated news agenda and lead to resignations to high members of each national government." (Page 7)
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"This report is intended to aid staff from news organizations and media entrepreneurs who wish to grow their revenue by deepening interactions with their audiences. It’s based on hundreds of conversations and interviews with journalists, managers, and members themselves, including newsroom fieldwo
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rk and observation, as well as focus groups with supporters of news sites. We use these findings to share strategic and tactical considerations for building audience revenue programs. We also share detailed examples of ways that news organizations around the world are experimenting with new approaches to raising funds and supporting myriad forms of audience participation." (Abstract)
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"Journalist fellow Michael Leitner takes a deep dive into media organisations who already use data to efficiently acquire, engage and furthermore keep subscribers. Do we need automated paywalls, and what data do we need to use to keep readers interested? Key Insights: Dynamic paywalls are no silver
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bullet solution; If you want to keep your subscribers, watch their behaviour; Predicting churn is easy, preventing it is hard; Privacy regulation adds a big question mark; New players focus on acquisition, first movers bet on retention; Don’t try to hit everything with the machine-learning hammer; Know who, what, and why you’re tracking; The newsroom needs to understand your goals and metrics; Create flexible structures, so everybody can participate; Content is still king over software and tech strategy." (Publisher description)
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"Quality journalism is expensive to produce – so how will it survive as current sources of revenue shrink? Funding Journalism in the Digital Age not only explores the current challenges, but also provides a comprehensive look at business models and strategies that could sustain the news industry a
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s it makes the transition from print and broadcast distribution to primarily digital platforms. The authors bring widespread international journalism experience to provide a global perspective on how news organizations are evolving, investigating innovative commercial projects in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, South Korea, Singapore and elsewhere." (Publisher description)
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