• Media publications, in more than 50 countries, have reported an increase in revenue with only 8% stating that their financial situation has worsened.
• Digital subscriptions rose as more people were at home. According to GroupM their digital subscriptions grew at their fastest rate ever (30% year-on-year) in 2021.
• Surprisingly the consumption of online news has fallen in the UK and USA.
• According to the report, more consumers are looking to social media and streaming platforms as a distraction from the constant cycle of ‘bad and depressing news’.
• More media publications are relying on subscription and memberships models such as the Daily Maverick which believes that it is a sustainable revenue model.

The merging of journalists and influencers 

• Over the last few years, tech companies have enabled writers, podcasters and media creatives to make significant amounts of money, meaning journalists have behaved like influencers which has resulted in what content is prioritised.
• However, this year the trend of journalists becoming influencers will slowly come to an end as media organisations poach these journalists/influencers to come work for them. These journalists/influencers usually work on their own but media publications are specifically targeting them.

The rise of audio

• There seems to be more interest in audio, for example, Twitter Spaces,  Facebook Live Audio Rooms. Digital platforms are investing in audio and are allowing consumers to create their own content.
• These audio-based platforms create more opportunities for publishers to grow and engage their audiences.
• Media publishers are trying to attract a younger audience, which will push many organisations into video and the creation of more videos for publications on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

• Hybrid newsrooms will be the norm,  journalists will spend two or three times a week in the office, with the rest at home.
• Media publications are changing their approach to accommodate this hybrid working model.
• Newsrooms and organisations will focus more on mental health as many journalists struggled with burnout during the last two years of the pandemic and the hybrid working model will provide some relief to overworked journalists.

Climate reporting and its struggle

• For many years, reporting on climate change and the environment was not a common beat, however, this is changing with many reporters turning to climate reporting.
• Even though more media publications are reporting on the climate, journalists are struggling to report on it, to find an interesting angle that will keep the audience engaged and interested.
• Climate reporting is very technical, scientific and some journalists struggle to break down the science and make it easy for audiences to understand.
• There is a lack of funding for climate and environmental reporting.

• More publishers have been using Artificial Intelligence for automating and speeding up newsroom workflows. Eight in ten (85%) new publishers say that AI will become very important in delivering better personalisation and content recommendations for consumers.
• The metaverse is the merging of virtual, augmented, and physical reality. According to the report, more interviews will be conducted in the metaverse.

Click here to read the full report.

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