For 2019, the News Industry Strengthens Subscriber Services – News Industry Pivots to Subscriptions for 2019

Published on: January 20, 2019 / Update from: January 20, 2019 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein

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

The news industry is still searching as the field undergoes major changes that address how to make a profit. Specifically, about one in three news industry leaders will look to showcase advertising and native advertising as their primary source of revenue next year. Advertising revenue was the bread and butter of the industry before the digital age. Many people surveyed by the Reuters Institute for Journalism Predictions for 2019 cited Big Tech's cut-neck and cut-rate advertising game as a key reason why news organizations are no longer able to play advertisers' game in the same way play. Platforms like Google and Facebook can provide access to an audience more efficiently and at a scale that puts media companies at a competitive disadvantage. This year is shaping up to be a year of diversified revenue streams as subscriber services become a top priority for news industry leaders.

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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