Audience data at the 13 closing Reach sites | Two news execs leave industry
Good morning and welcome to your daily media news briefing on Tuesday, 28 November, brought to you today in association with Bauer Academy - Bauer Media's training provider, offering you a chance to future-proof your careers with day courses delivered by head of journalism Andrew Greaves.
Today we have crunched some of the numbers behind the ongoing job cuts at Reach to understand why it is axing 13 local newsbrands.
Some of these county-wide Live sites were launched in 2021 in areas where Reach did not already have strong established brands.
Ten of the sites have already informed readers of plans to close at the end of the month, blaming changes to the media landscape and decisions made by large tech platforms.
While I would be the first to agree that the likes of Google and Facebook have a case to answer, one also has to question the strategy of launching thinly resourced sites covering large geographical areas in parts of the country already well served by other media.
Better, perhaps, to focus on covering your core areas well and building a sustainable returning audience.
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New from Press Gazette
The audience data behind Reach decision to close 13 regional newsbrands
Eleven of the 13 local news websites being closed by Reach before the end of the year saw a double-digit percentage drops in audience in the past year.
Condé Nast Britain’s chief business officer joins Google
Google said Vanessa Kingori OBE “will focus on helping UK-based businesses drive growth through AI-powered technology and advertising solutions”.
Bloomberg Media CEO leaves industry to join New York Mets
M Scott Havens departs shortly after Bloomberg Media hit 500,000 subscribers.
Podcast 60: How to make local news pay with Newsquest CEO Henry Faure Walker
Last year UK regional news giant Newsquest made £40m in pre-tax profits on turnover of £190m.
This year it is tracking to have ad revenue broadly flat over two years.
CEO Henry Faure Walker spoke to Dominic Ponsford about how the publisher of 200+ titles is bucking the trend on both audience and advertising revenue decline. He also shed light on some fascinating experiments using generative AI in the newsroom.
News in brief
The chief executive of Impress has called for new legislation to give publishers "robust cost protections" from SLAPPs following the announcement Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act will be repealed. Section 40, which was passed into law but never activated, gives legal cost protections to publishers regulated by Impress - but also makes any unregulated or IPSO-regulated titles liable to pay the costs for both sides in a lawsuit. (Impress)
A group called Climate Genocide Act Now is reportedly planning legal action at the International Criminal Court against The Telegraph for its climate coverage which it is claiming is "evidence of incitement of crimes against humanity". (Byline Times)
The Guardian Australia has launched an appeal to raise "an additional $300,000 to power more independent, high-impact journalism" in 2024. (Guardian Australia)
Tindle has launched a self-serve advertising platform across its website portfolio, allowing advertisers to plan and build campaigns aimed at "highly engaged local people who want to support local businesses in their local area". (Tindle Newspapers)
Sports Illustrated allegedly published articles generated by AI but published under bios and byline pictures purporting to be human. Publisher The Arena Group blamed a third-party content provider that said its real writers had used a "pen or pseudo name". (Futurism)
Russia has again extended the detention without trial of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, this time to 30 January. The hearing was held behind closed doors. (Associated Press)
The Telegraph is reporting on its potential UAE-backed takeover on its front page, as former foreign secretary and Conservative leader William Hague said he would "certainly intervene" in the deal and the UAE would find it "very hard" to allow hostile stories if it was owner.
Previously on Press Gazette
British Journalism Awards News Provider of the Year 2023 shortlist
Facebook subscriptions: Could Meta still be a friend for publishers?
Top 50 UK news websites: ITV and Mail Online see double-digit growth in October
Complaints about BBC coverage of Israel-Hamas war are not upheld
Dyson ‘offered to settle’ Mirror libel claim but was ‘forced’ to trial
Traditional news media remains crucial for science information in social media age
