New dawn for The Observer | Making political news pay the Politico way
And our interview with Jamie East on the Daily Mail's burgeoning podcast empire is well worth your time in case you missed it
Good morning and welcome to your weekly Future of Media update from Press Gazette on Thursday 24 April.
Some 234 years after launching as the world’s first Sunday newspaper The Observer will get its own website tomorrow.
The move comes ahead of the first print edition under new owners Tortoise Media on Sunday.
It heralds the biggest online newsbrand launch in the UK for some years.
The Observer has investment of £25m to get it from a “loss-making” print title to self-sufficient paywalled online newsbrand within the next two or three years (The Observer was only loss-making if you take into account its contribution to shared Guardian overheads.)
Around half the previous editorial team took redundancy rather than move across, and Tortoise has been busily hiring to fill sport, foreign and business roles which were previously shared with The Guardian. It is also building its first dedicated commercial team for some years. So whatever happens next is likely to be very different from what has gone before for this venerable title.
In many ways, Politico is the exemplar of a modern media brand. It is global and uses newsletters, podcasts, data, online news and events to successfully traverse the information needs of consumers and businesses.
If, like me, you covet Politco’s $1bn price tag (achieved just 14 years after launch), read our interview with Day to get under the hood of how it does what it does. She is also the special guest on the latest edition of our podcast.
And in case you missed it from earlier in the week: our interview with Jamie East about the Daily Mail’s burgeoning paid-for podcast empire is well worth your time as is this Reuters Institute research on the earnings, political leanings and demographic make-up of UK journalists.
On Press Gazette:
Tortoise plans for The Observer: ‘We can buck the market trend’
Press Gazette speaks to new co-CEO, digital editor and creative director of The Observer under Tortoise.
Politico Europe reports ‘significant growth’ as its team reaches 350 people
Senior executive editor Kate Day said mixed business model gives brand resilience - despite DOGE-related cutbacks.
How Mail has gained thousands of subscribers for crime podcasts
“True crime is always criminal, but it’s not always depressing. It can be a bit of a romp and a bit of a wild goose chase across continents.”
UK journalists are getting older, more left-wing and increasingly work freelance
Reuters survey provides snapshot of UK journalists in 2025 including gender, race and age.
Also in Press Gazette this week:
Positive news monthly Plymouth Chronicle sees bright future for print
‘Unsustainable status quo’: AI companies and publishers respond to Govt copyright consultation
Publishers delete and amend stories based on dubious experts
G/O Media CEO says future for Quartz ‘extremely bright’ despite newsroom being laid off
Latest podcast: Making political news pay the Politico way
Press Gazette senior reporter Bron Maher talks to Politico executive editor for Europe Kate Day about the niche brand's rapid expansion on this side of the Atlantic.
The title launched in Washington in 2007 and has been in Europe since 2015. It now has 350 staff in Europe with 45 journalists in the UK alone. Day explained how the brand's mixed B2B and consumer business model works and revealed more about its further expansion plans.