Vox returns to TikTok but doesn't see monetary returns from TikTok PLUS Daily Mail-backed Millennial startup opts for qualitative data

November 14, 2022

I'm back after a much-needed relaxing week on holiday. We've got a lot of fascinating data to look at on my return. The Press Gazette looked at magazine circulation in the US with some major titles seeing some dramatic drops but also some bright spots for digital subscriptions.

Speaking of data, INMA looked at a Daily Mail-backed fashion site focused on Millennial women. The site didn't want to rely on traditional quantitative data - pageviews and users - but instead opted for qualitative, behavioural data. The editorial lead wanted to understand their target audience so relied more on interviews, which is really smart product thinking, especially for a start-up. Quantitative data tells you what people are doing, but qualitative data helps you understand why they are doing it.

And lastly, a brief highlight about the main featured story today, Vox's return to short-term video. At the moment, they are looking at short-term video as both a brand-building and missional effort, with the latter being that they wanted to counter misinformation on the platform. However, they still don't have a strategy to monetise that attention on those platforms.

And of course, there is more industry news as well including a look at some fallout from the collapse of crypto exchange FTX and a very small amount of Twitter-meltdown related news. Who needs too much more of that really?

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.

There is a lot that to glean from these numbers, including how dominant print remains for circulation dollars for most magazines. What was really striking for me is that the magazines with the largest circulation are membership and retail-related - retailer Costco and AARP publications, which are for members of the retiree group in the US. It was also intriguing to look at the magazines that saw dramatic drops as well - a few Hearst titles with dramatic declines including Woman's Day, Men's Health and Country Living as well as Sport's Illustrated and Condé Nast's cooking mag Bon Appetite.

TikTok and YouTube Shorts are two platforms that Vox is steering its focus toward this year in the hope of combating misinformation and growing a younger audience.

Vox has such a strong presence on YouTube, but they actually took a break from short form digital video on YouTube and TikTok. They returned to short-form on both platforms in September. They don't have solid revenue plans, but they feel a need to be there to engage young audiences and also to counter misinformation on the platforms.

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 BBC is dramatically increasing its digital staffing in North America from 18 to 36. They see it as important not only in public service terms but also in terms of revenue. The BBC is seen as a trusted news brand in the US, where mistrust of journalistic institutions is high.

Eliza, a start-up under the Daily Mail and General Trust, is getting 25 million content views with 200% month-to-month growth. Their pre-launch data came from talking to actual women.

While this story might be seen as cutting against the grain, it actually makes a lot of sense in launching a new content offering. You don't have quantitative data to rely on, even if they are an extension of a traditional media brand. Instead, they relied on qualitative, behavioural information from interviews to create personas and find a gap in the market. It's basic, smart product thinking, which looks to be delivering.

The Bankman-Fried industrial complex is imploding, with massive turmoil brewing for the donor who was seen as the Democratic Party’s next great hope. Does all of that money just disappear?

The former CEO of the collapsing FTX crypto empire not only gave money to the Democratic Party but also to media. What will FTX's collapse mean for those media outlets he supported? (You might have to subscribe to Puck to find out.)

SEO Used In Massive Black Hat Redirect Malware Campaign - 11/10/2022

A fascinating look at how SEO techniques are being used to spread malware.

Alden Global dropped its bid, meaning private capital bids may not be there.

A look at how a looming recession in the US could affect newspapers, especially ones owned by large hedge funds or chains like Gannett that are carrying a lot of debt.

Local TV Advertising Forecast: Flat Overall, Broadcast TV Double-Digit Declines In 2023 - 11/11/2022

Local TV in the US will be coming off a very good year as political advertising dollars flowed into their coffers, but 2023 might be a touch year for the industry.

Twitter accounts impersonating politicians, celebrities and brands took over the site.

It was so obvious that the pay-for-verfication scheme was so open to abuse, but the move-fast-and-break-everything style of management that Musk seems to be employing doesn't lend itself to listening to anyone outside of his trusted inner circle.

Users fleeing Elon Musk’s takeover will find themselves in a different world – quixotic, communal and defiantly democratic

I would be interested in hearing your experience of joining Mastodon. It is definitely not a drop-in replacement for Twitter. It has very different dynamics from what little I have used it.