Mail Online publisher Danny Groom on subs push | Staff revolt over Business Insider cuts
Mail Online publisher Danny Groom on subs push | Staff revolt over Business Insider cuts
And we have your news diary for the week ahead
Welcome to your daily newsletter from Press Gazette on Monday 29 January, brought to you today in association with Limio - the subscription commerce platform. Their latest report, ten ways to improve the checkout experience for media subscriptions, is available to download now.
Today we have the first interview with Mail Online key executives about the brand’s new partial paywall strategy.
Danny Groom, Mail Online’s editor and publisher, explains how the title plans to weather the stormy online conditions that have led to closures and cutbacks at other ad-funded sites.
The answer, for Mail Online, is a hybrid approach that aims to hang on to advertising whilst also opening up new reader revenue. The partial paywall offers readers access to 15 premium articles per day for just over £1 a week.
Groom says Mail Online's strong direct audience game puts it in a better position than rivals (such as The Sun) who are more dependent on referral traffic from Google and social media.
Meanwhile, the Mail+ app (formerly the home of premium content) has been changed into a daily version of the print edition plus puzzles. Podcasts and video, both major areas of expansion in recent years for the Mail, remain on free-to-air outside platforms.
Business Insider has offered readers premium content and an ad-free experience for some time, currently priced at $149 (£120) per year. But that hasn't stopped it from cutting up to 70 jobs last week.
We report on reaction to the cutbacks from staff, some of whom were appalled that colleagues were given just a few hours' notice to clear their desks.
We also have your news diary for the week ahead, including turns at the Covid-19 inquiry from Nicola Sturgeon and Michael Gove.
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New from Press Gazette
Mail Online publisher Danny Groom explains partial paywall revenue strategy
“We are trying to create an additional layer of content and we’re trying to provide more for our engaged readers, as well as hopefully find some new readers as well. But obviously, we’re not going to lose sight of the huge free-to-air audience that we have.”
Business Insider faces internal backlash over lockout for axed staff
More than 80 journalists posted on an internal Slack channel raising concerns that Business Insider was breaking its contract with the union in its approach to the layoffs.
News diary 29 January-4 February: Nicola Sturgeon at Covid inquiry, Brianna Ghey killers named, Harry Mirror hacking win latest
A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda this week, from the team at Foresight News.
News in brief
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has had his detention in Russia extended by a further two months as he awaits trial on spying charges that he and the newspaper deny. He has been behind bars since 29 March. (Reuters)
Sky News has apologised after a presenter made a comparison between an Israeli politician’s comments about the war with Hamas and the treatment of Jewish people in the Holocaust and said it recognises the “inappropriateness” of this. (Sky News)
New Washington Post chief executive Will Lewis has suggested that subscription models are "waning" and news should be paid for in "more innovative ways" like day passes, week passes and donations. Semafor’s interview with him published over the weekend begins with Lewis proposing it partner with the Post. (Semafor)
“Will Lewis cannot get away from that, he cannot escape. He was essential to that process”: The Daily Beast also has a Will Lewis story - outlining his participation in News Corp’s handing over of confidential information about journalists to police. (The Daily Beast)
404 Media, the start-up formed by ex-Motherboard journalists, has appealed to readers for their email addresses, saying their journalism has made clear to them that "we need to be able to reach our readers directly using a platform that we own and control". (404 Media)
Newsquest has signed a partnership with the NSPCC for 2024. The publisher is giving the children's charity print and online advertising to the value of at least £6m, plus editorial coverage, making it "the largest ever initiative Newsquest has run in support of a single charity".
Previously on Press Gazette
Telegraph Media Group CEO Nick Hugh is out as takeover uncertainty continues
News media job cuts 2024 tracked: Year starts with at least 650 redundancies
Reach reveals ‘three pillars’ that prepare it for end of third-party cookies
Why news publishers should fight to stop rollout of Google Privacy Sandbox
Culture Secretary wants new Telegraph sale investigation after corporate structure changes