When McClatchy declared bankruptcy in February, its debts were crushing, but its operating numbers weren’t so bad. But the coronavirus ripped away more than a quarter of its revenue in just a few weeks.
“You want to move your business and your model to the place on the media chessboard where the dollars are going to be going” — the TV money that will follow audiences to streaming.
By gutting local advertising overnight, COVID-19 has accelerated strategies — like cutting print days, corporate consolidation, or even closing down offices — that publishers had hoped could wait a while longer.
The coronavirus pandemic is proving the value of local news to millions of readers, driving up subscriptions. But the advertising collapse is knee-buckling. “If it’s a couple of months, we’ll make it through. If it’s six months, all bets are off.”
Former Chartbeat CEO Tony Haile hopes he’s found something at the intersection of ethical adblocking and news-flavored digital wellness. “It’s not just ‘Can you get rid of ads,’ but ‘What does a better internet look like?'”
Republicans and Democrats are (surprisingly!) teaming up to help news organizations negotiate with the tech giants. But it’s unlikely to have a substantial impact on the dysfunctional relationship between publishers and platforms.
The “failing” New York Times’ news operation now employs more than 1,700 journalists, up nearly 50 percent from a decade ago. It has nearly 5 million subscribers, triple its print-era peak. Now it’s preparing to up the price.
Doctor, Ken. "Newsonomics: CEO Mark Thompson on offering more and more New York Times (and charging more for it)." Nieman Journalism Lab. Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, 13 Nov. 2019. Web. 25 Apr. 2024.
APA
Doctor, K. (2019, Nov. 13). Newsonomics: CEO Mark Thompson on offering more and more New York Times (and charging more for it). Nieman Journalism Lab. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/11/newsonomics-ceo-mark-thompson-on-offering-more-and-more-new-york-times-and-charging-more-for-it/
Chicago
Doctor, Ken. "Newsonomics: CEO Mark Thompson on offering more and more New York Times (and charging more for it)." Nieman Journalism Lab. Last modified November 13, 2019. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/11/newsonomics-ceo-mark-thompson-on-offering-more-and-more-new-york-times-and-charging-more-for-it/.
Wikipedia
{{cite web
| url = https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/11/newsonomics-ceo-mark-thompson-on-offering-more-and-more-new-york-times-and-charging-more-for-it/
| title = Newsonomics: CEO Mark Thompson on offering more and more New York Times (and charging more for it)
| last = Doctor
| first = Ken
| work = [[Nieman Journalism Lab]]
| date = 13 November 2019
| accessdate = 25 April 2024
| ref = {{harvid|Doctor|2019}}
}}
