Andreas Whittam Smith, a co-founder of the Independent and a prominent figure in British journalism and public life, has died aged 88, as reported by The Guardian. His career spanned newspapers, film regulation and senior service within the Church of England. Key Points from The Guardian’s Coverage A family spokesperson said: “It is with great […]
Guardian faces libel trial over description of influencer as ‘alt right agitator’
Guardian News and Media is weighing its options after a pre-trial ruling found that an Observer music review was defamatory for describing Andy Ngo as an “‘alt-right’ agitator”, as reported by Press Gazette. The High Court held that the phrase, used in an otherwise light-hearted album review, conveyed a factual allegation that Ngo actively promotes […]
Times titles unveil weekly business podcast
The New Digital Age reports that The Times and The Sunday Times have launched The Business, a new weekly podcast fronted by senior journalists Hannah Prevett and Dominic O’Connell. The show aims to offer in-depth analysis of a single major business story each week, supported by high-profile guests from across sectors. Sponsored by PwC for […]
Government and opposition leaders voice strong backing for Journalism Matters campaign
Senior political figures have publicly endorsed the News Media Association’s Journalism Matters initiative, emphasising the importance of protecting local journalism at a moment of acute pressure for the industry. As reported by the News Media Association, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy each highlighted the democratic value of […]
Google faces EU probe over alleged demotion of publishers’ commercial content
The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Google after monitoring suggested the company may have been pushing commercial content from news publishers so far down search results that it had effectively become invisible. According to The Guardian, officials believe Google’s anti-spam policies may be disadvantaging media organisations’ advertiser-funded content in a way that […]
News advertising seen to outperform other environments, new research suggests
New research from DoubleVerify indicates that news environments continue to deliver strong results for advertisers, with 60% of marketers saying news inventory outperforms their campaign baselines, as reported by New Digital Age. The findings, drawn from a global survey of 1,970 marketers, suggest rising confidence in news as a high-performing and cost-effective channel, even as […]
Reach begins premium subscription rollout with Manchester Evening News launch
Reach has introduced a premium digital subscription tier at the Manchester Evening News, marking the start of a wider subscriptions strategy across its regional titles, as reported by InPublishing. Readers will now encounter premium articles and dynamic paywalls, with paid subscribers receiving exclusive journalism and a reduced-ad experience. The initiative follows the appointment of Reach’s […]
The Atlantic tightens control on AI crawlers with traffic-driven access strategy
The Atlantic has developed an internal scorecard to determine which AI crawlers may access its site, allowing only those that demonstrably send back traffic or paid subscribers, according to reporting by Digiday.
AI is great at headlines, but not judgment. Here’s the line.
Artificial intelligence can sharpen, test, and even generate compelling headlines—but when it comes to editorial judgment, human instincts remain irreplaceable. Publishers need to know where to draw the line.
Why chasing viral traffic is a race to the bottom
The pursuit of short-term spikes in audience attention may feel like growth, but for most publishers, it leads to burnout, editorial compromise, and dwindling returns. There’s a better way to build a lasting relationship with readers.
Challenges in implementing subscription-driven models in news publishing: A multidimensional analysis
The transition to subscription-driven business models has become an existential imperative for news publishers navigating the collapse of traditional advertising revenues and platform-driven content commoditization. However, as evidenced by stagnating growth rates and rising churn metrics, this shift presents complex challenges that extend far beyond paywall implementation. This report analyzes seven critical barriers shaping the […]
Time-on-site is the new currency of reader trust
Forget fleeting clicks and inflated pageviews—publishers who focus on time spent with their content are uncovering deeper insights, building stronger relationships, and finding new paths to sustainable growth.



