“Record numbers of readers [are] seeking trusted sources in uncertain times”, reports the Guardian’s media business correspondent Mark Sweney
With the pandemic, a string of Westminster scandals and the continuing war in Ukraine creating an unprecedented period of high-profile news stories, readers have increasingly turned to trusted journalism to understand a fast-changing world.
Douglas McCabe, chief executive of the research consultancy Enders Analysis, spoke to the Guardian, saying: “One of the knock-on effects of such an extraordinary news run is that it has given confidence back to the news industry that it has a role, a purpose and a community of people prepared to value it.
“Every conversation used to be about the battle with Google, but now heads are up. For the first time executives can see, imagine, and picture an online future.”
This rise comes as governments in the UK and around the world work to crack down on tech firms and ensure a fairer playing field for digital publishers.
Executive vice-president, publisher of The Sun Dominic Carter commented: “On the platforms we distribute our content on, we have to have a fair exchange of value.
“The value we create needs to be recognised and that is now increasingly the case with the platforms we have relationships with. They are not the saviours of our businesses, but the relationship we have is much more equal than it has been.”
Carter also pointed out the advantages of digital’s growing presence in news brands’ content portfolios, saying: “It is a sign of success in businesses that we know we are all transitioning. There is a rebalancing back towards quality, context and data – we have those at scale in newspapers.”
Read Sweney’s full report on the Guardian’s website.
