How publishers can succeed on Reddit | News industry revenue trends
Plus some case studies for news outlets using AI for personalisation and a manifesto on how the news can survive 2025
Hello, and happy Friday.
A colleague of mine at a Press Gazette sister title recently revealed that they sometimes try to improve the performance of articles they’ve just published by posting them into relevant forums on Reddit — sticking an interview with Sarah Koenig, for example, into the Serial subreddit, or a piece on the UK government’s green transition plans into a climate-focused community.
That colleague isn’t alone. This week Charlotte Tobitt has spoken with the social team at Metro, the UK’s highest-circulation daily newspaper, about how the brand has sought to do the same thing on a wider scale — hoping to build conversation and more of an organic following by sensitively posting stories into relevant subreddits, sometimes without even linking back to the Metro website.
Also this week we have a bevy of expert commentary applicable for news businesses around the world.
US-based data-driven consultant Matthew Scott Goldstein has written a manifesto for publishers on what he reckons they need to do to survive in 2025, including (in his view) wholesale adoption of generative AI and kicking out lacklustre CEOs.
Association of Online Publishers managing director Richard Reeves has written a useful analysis of the revenue trends at top outlets in recent years, illustrating which income strands still have room to grow (and which might not).
And independent management consultant Paul Hood has taken a look at where the industry’s at with actually implementing AI-driven personalisation into its products.
Finally, scroll a little further down for several Press Gazette stories that, while focused on the UK, could have ramifications beyond — including job cuts at the Daily Mail and BBC World Service, legislative attempts to shore up copyright law against AI and a head-scratching development in the effort to stop British libel law being abused from overseas.
Have a great weekend.
Bron
Press Gazette is returning to New York on 13 March for our third Media Strategy Network event.
This FREE event focuses around several confidential round-table discussions, where you get the chance to share your successes (and failures) with industry peers.
We've also already confirmed the following speakers: Dotdash Meredith CEO Neil Vogel, Guardian North America chief advertising officer Sara Badler and Wall Street Journal chief revenue officer Josh Stinchcomb.
We will even give you lunch and buy you a drink afterwards.
If you are in a senior leadership position at a publisher and feel this event could be useful please click on this link to find out more and register your interest.
Screenshot of Metro's Reddit user profile on 27 January 2025
Reddit tips from Metro: ‘It’s trial and error… You’re probably going to get banned
“It’s really sort of an expert audience on Reddit. They want to know the deeper dives. They already know more than we do anytime we’re posting an article on a particular subreddit, because obviously they’ve joined that community.”
Online publishing revenue trends: Audio rising, video stalls, data is golden
“By looking at subscription revenues on a rolling twelve-month basis — which smooths out quarterly fluctuations — we can see that growth is indeed slowing. Starting at Q3 2023, when growth sat at 17.5%, consecutive reports returned 16.7%, 13%, 9%, and, finally, 7.3% in Q3 2024.”
Fire the boss and fight for your rights: How publishers can succeed in 2025
“If your organisation’s CEO has failed to demonstrate boldness, innovation, or a willingness to challenge the status quo in the past year, it’s a clear indication that a change is necessary.”
Could AI-powered personalisation boost reader engagement for publishers?
“This isn’t some futuristic fantasy. Publishers like the Argentine newspaper Clarín are already doing it. They’ve introduced an AI-powered reading assistant called UalterAI that enhances reader engagement by providing multiple formats for news articles… such as chronological narratives, highlights, data tables, and FAQs.”
Also on Press Gazette:
Major job cuts at Mail titles in final stage of digital-first transition
Channel 4 chief says Gen Z media habits causing ‘immense issues’
BBC World Service to cut 130 roles to save £6m in the next year
Who’s suing AI and who’s signing: Major deals with Google, OpenAI and Mistral start year
Law firm OK to represent Russian warlord against UK editor, legal watchdog rules
World’s oldest Jewish newspaper announces new editor, new look and revamped membership
Google owes UK news industry £2.2bn from 2023 alone, claims new research
Future’s former chief technology officer Kevin Li Ying named CEO
Sky News plans for life after 2030 with ‘premium video’ focus and possible paid content
UK legislature’s upper house adds amendments to bill offering AI copyright protection for publishers
And elsewhere…
Paramount in settlement talks With Trump over ‘60 Minutes’ lawsuit
Lauren Hirsch, James B Stewart and Michael M. Grynbaum, The New York Times
FCC chair orders investigation into NPR and PBS sponsorships
Benjamin Mullin and David McCabe, The New York Times
Yeah, it's probably time to panic
Ryan Broderick, Garbage Day
Linkedin grows its shortform content
Alexander Lee, Digiday
Threads is testing ads in the US and Japan
Ivan Mehta, Techcrunch
Substack to expand its legal support scheme for newsletters on the platform
Chris Best, Substack
Are multi-publisher subscription bundles a good idea?
Jacob Cohen Donnelly, A Media Operator
Inside a network of AI-generated newsletters targeting “small town America”
Andrew Deck, Nieman Lab
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