The UK’s daily digital news readership grew by two million compared to a year ago, yet the advertising revenue to fund it still isn’t following that growth, claims industry chief Tracy De Groose.
19 million people read a digital version of a national newspaper every day – a 14% rise on last year – but the latest advertising forecasts show that the ad money invested in national news brands will only rise by a modest 1.1% in 2019 (Source: Warc 2019).
De Groose, who was speaking at a leading marketing festival in London yesterday, threw down the challenge to over 150 senior advertisers and marketers asking them “why their money wasn’t going into quality content environments where real people exist”.
“We have two million more readers every day, who are highly engaged in our content. We are innovating in how we deliver the news and it’s working. We are growing multi-platform demand,” she explained. “The question I want to ask you is why is the money not flowing to where the people are, in environments that are trusted, brand safe, with audiences that are highly engaged.”
The Newsworks Executive Chair was joined on stage by four of the UK’s leading digital journalists – Claire Eaton-Rutter from Metro.co.uk, David Tomchak at the Evening Standard, Ben Rankin from Mirror Online and the Telegraph’s Robin Hough – who explained how they are innovating and driving greater engagement with their respective readers.
De Groose, added: “The digital news industry is in rude health – the numbers speak for themselves – but the advertising investment has to catch up with us, and fast. Journalism needs it. More than ever.”
A version of this article was published on the Mirror Online.