Online readers are turning to quality digital news brands for trusted and innovative journalism to understand the war in Ukraine
Speaking to Press Gazette, The Times’s head of digital Edward Roussel pointed to the consistent demand for trusted news during widescale global crises that affect readers’ lives in the UK.
He said: “The trend that we’re seeing is that in moments of crisis, whether it’s the onset of coronavirus or Brexit, you see this shift towards trusted brands…
“The previous times when we’ve had that type of rate have been more connected with things like flash sales.”
He also commented: “But as a journalist, what’s interesting is when you have these moments of high drama, it’s where newsrooms really innovate.”
This innovation has included heightened importance of video and audio coverage of the war in Ukraine, with The Times working with organisations such as Storyful to help verify the social video it uses.
Audio and visual journalism has also come in the form of Instagram reports from correspondents on the ground, the Stories of our Times podcast and Times Radio, all receiving increased audiences since the war began.
After gaining 60,000 digital subscribers in 2021, The Times surpassed 400,000 digital subscribers earlier this year.
Read more about how The Times is using digital platforms and data to innovate its journalism during the Ukraine conflict in Press Gazette’s full report here.
