Why Small Publishers Should Consider Subscriptions PLUS the New Products Driving The Economist's Digital Subscription Success

June 22, 2021

We've got a bumper crop of stories from across media products and management today. Read on to find the new products driving subscriptions at The Economist. We've got two pieces looking at revenue and product strategies for small publishers including 10 reasons why small publishers should consider subs and strategies at three small news start-ups in the US. And we have a look at Axios' newsletter-driven local push. They are thinking big with the potential to launch eventually in 80 cities and for low-seven figures in revenue this year even with launches in only a handful of cities.

Plus, we've got a look at new regulations that are being proposed for streaming services and digital media in Canada, the UK and Nigeria. TikTok has a new min-app platform called Jumps that will add content to the short video platform - think full recipes from foodie publishers.

Making the Case for Subscriptions for Small Shops

There has never been a better time for small publishers to consider a paid content subscription offer to drive reader revenue. Article explains 10 solid reasons.

Subscriptions are working for big, national organisations like the FT, the New York Times and The Economist. Here are some great reasons for why small publishers are and should embrace subs.

Axios' Newsletter-driven Local Looks for Major Expansion

Press Gazette has been reporting on British journalism without fear or favour since 1965. Our mission is to provide a news and information service which helps the UK journalism.

The newsletters are expected to generate $4-5m this year so it's not just a little side hustle for them.

A Review of 3 US Local News Start-ups

An Ohio news outlet that’s owned by its readers. A newsletter for Iowa’s Black residents. And an Ohio newsroom modeling solutions journalism.

A couple are in my backyard including the Devil Strip (Ohio name for the verge - go figure)

A couple are in my backyard including the Devil Strip (Ohio name for the verge - go figure). Good details on building local news businesses.

Are Newsrooms Ready for Troll Networks?

You can’t report on a culture war and also be an invisible bystander.

OK, two headlines that prove Betteridge's Law in two days. But this is a good one. It breaks down why individual journalists who cover culture war issues are getting attacked and why it's difficult for newsrooms to respond to them. It's well worth a read and some serious discussion amongst newsroom leadership.

"(S)erial amplifiers — especially the savvy ones who don’t themselves harass but signal their disapproval to their large audiences knowing their followers will do the dirty work — tend to get away with launching these campaigns, while smaller accounts get in trouble. "

Global: Regulation Coming to Digital Media

The U.K. wants to regulate Netflix and other streaming services the same way it does British TV networks — including punishments for "bias" and "inaccuracy." Meanwhile, Nigeria wants to do something similar, but in a more authoritarian context.

Canadian lawmakers passed a controversial bill that aims to regulate programming distributed by media streaming services and social platforms like Facebook and YouTube, a measure that critics warn could infringe on individual speech.

New Digital Products Drive Economist Digital Revenue

The Economist reported record subscriber growth, climbing 90,000 to 1.12 million in 2021, its largest-ever increase in a single year. The publication also reported an operating profit of £41.8m, up £8.9m, or 27% on...

Podcasts, interactive data features and newsletters among new products that have been driving digital growth.

Digital Innovation Company Thinks Beyond Podcasts

As podcasting continues to gain ground among mainstream consumers as a digital media platform alongside music, video, and the printed word, a startup that made a name for itself through building content for the medium has closed a round of funding to help it explore what comes next. WaitWhat, co-founded by two of the people […]

I am hearing more innovative product people think of what comes next after podcasting. It might be new formats for smart speakers or interesting products around health and wealth-being.

How to Use WordPress Custom Post Types

Custom Post Types and Custom Fields can take your radio station's Wordpress website to the next level. Here's what you need to know.

I've built some incredible products using WordPress, and there a number of features that can unlock a lot of opportunities. Custom post types are one of those.

TikTok Creates Jumps - New Content Integrations

By Sean Kim, Head of Product, TikTok US Today we're excited to introduce TikTok Jump, a new way for creators to share engaging and informative content on TikTok. Built by third-party providers, Jumps

These little mini-apps that are HTML5 allow for groups from Wikipedia to Buzzfeed to enhance their video content.

Editor Moves from Allure to Netflix

Named Adweek's Editor of the Year in 2017, she'll now become the streaming service's vp of editorial and publishing.

It's interesting to see Netflix lean into podcasting and publishing.

US: Automated Source Diversity Tracking Tool from API API

Automated, customizable source tracking can expand news organizations' sourcing to represent fairly and fully the diversity of their communities.

If this is a project that you're trying to do, the American Press Institute has a tool for you.