For 2019, the news industry is increasing its focus on subscription services – News Industry Pivots to Subscriptions for 2019

Published on: January 20, 2019 / Updated on: January 20, 2019 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein

For 2019, leading representatives of the news industry are doubling their focus on subscription services, with half of the editors-in-chief, CEOs, managing directors and heads of digital citing subscription services as their main source of revenue for the new year.

The news industry is still searching for its footing as the field undergoes major changes concerning how to generate profit. Specifically, roughly one in three news industry leaders will seek to present advertising and native advertising as their primary revenue source for the coming year. Advertising revenue was the industry's lifeblood before the digital age. Many people surveyed by the Reuters Institute for Journalism Predictions for 2019 cited the Big Tech-driven cut-neck and cut-rate advertising game as the main reason why news organizations are no longer able to play the advertiser game in the same way. Platforms like Google and Facebook can provide access to an audience more efficiently and on a scale that puts media companies at a competitive disadvantage. This year is shaping up to be the year of diversified revenue streams, with subscription services among the top priorities of leading news companies.

News industry leaders are doubling down on their focus on subscription services going into 2019, with half of the Editors-in-Chief, CEOs, Managing Directors, and Heads of Digital citing subscription services as their main revenue source for the new year.

The news industry continues to find their footing as the field undergoes major changes grappling with the question of how to turn a profit. Notably, about one in three news industry leaders will be looking to display advertising and native advertising as their main revenue focus for the next year. Ad revenue was the industry's bread and butter prior to the digital age. Many people surveyed for the Reuters Institute for Journalism Predictions for 2019 cited the cut-neck and cut-rate advertising game fueled by big tech as the major reason news organizations are no longer able to play the advertisers game in the same way. Platforms like Google and Facebook can provide access to a targeted audience more efficiently and at a scale that puts media organizations at a competitive disadvantage. This year is shaping up to be the year of diversified revenue streams as subscription services surge to the top of news industry leaders' priorities.

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