Predictions for Journalism 2021
2020 has proven that hindsight is, well, 2020.
So, of course, Nieman Journalism Lab has gathered 2021 journalism predictions. Newsletter publishers will find some of them worth considering, including these:
“Successful independent journalists will realize how difficult it can be to strike the right balance between cultivating enough of an audience to effectively monetize and becoming beholden to their whims.” —Taylor Lorenz
“Gird for too few renewals or continuing support—not just because so many Americans are in financial distress, but because as people step farther from their keyboards as the pandemic ebbs, many will tire of reading about political, biological and financial chaos. They’ll start deleting newsletters unread as fast as spam, until they are moved to cancel. Then they’ll return to relying on the convenient social pipelines filled with fluff and fakery, namely Facebook, Instagram, and Google.”— Jody Brannon
Read through for more takes on what may come to be.
Download the Media Moments 2020 Report
Media Moments 2020, an annual Media Voices report in association with What’s New in Publishing, is now available for download.
“From the collapse of events to the boom in subscriptions and shifting trust in journalism, this report explores how 2020’s defining moments have changed the media landscape, and what the future holds for 2021 and beyond.”
Note: Expect a video interview with Media Voices Co-Host Esther Kezia Thorpe in an upcoming issue of Opt In Weekly.
Should You Put More Content Behind a Paywall?
Max Willens reports on what publishers, including The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Baltimore Sun, are learning by experimenting with placing more content behind paywalls. The results indicate that when done strategically, increased subscriptions can offset ad revenue loss.
Via Media Roundup
What Micro News Startups can Learn From Micro Brands
Phillip Smith provides insights as to why small news organizations can thrive in today’s attention economy, especially if they look to intentionally small brands as a blueprint, in The Future of Journalism Is Tiny, Targeted, and Timely
Related: Read Evan Rutchik’s stance on how publishers can compete with Google and Facebook in Do publishers stand a chance against the digital duopoly?
The Startups That are Trying to Make For-Profit Local News Work
“An unlikely trend is developing in the media industry: people think they can make real money from local news.”
“It’s happening in different formats and in different locations. Axios will release newsletters in four markets early next year. David Plotz, formerly the CEO of Atlas Obscura and editor-in-chief of Slate, is launching a podcast company called City Cast, which will produce local news audio shows in the hopes of pooling them together to better sell ads. At Patch, the hyperlocal publisher, revenue is up 30% year over year, buoyed by direct sales amid greater reader interest about what is happening in communities, from coronavirus updates to info about polling locations.”
Related: Check out 8 Reasons Why Email Newsletters Are a Game-Changer for Local News
How The Tampa Bay Times Uses Texting
Joshua Gillin, Senior Editor of Engagement at the Tampa Bay Times explains the process they used to add a text subscription to their offerings to provide readers with election coverage. It’s a great glimpse into how this option can work for newspapers transitioning from print to digital media.
Related: Check out these 3 Publishers that saw Business Impact with Digital News Innovation Projects
TIME Newsletter Addresses Mental Wellness During Anxious Times
Agile publishers have pivoted during the Coronavirus, spinning up new newsletters on topics readers may need help navigating. It’s Not Just You: Big-Hearted Advice for Anxious Times from TIME will deliver weekly advice and empathy from essayist Susanna Schrobsdorff.
Q&A: How Publishers can use Membership Models
“With traditional media funding models in disarray, a number of outlets are looking at alternative ways to ensure their profitability or survival, among them implementing a paywall for content, asking for reader donations, or creating a membership model by establishing a community of champions for their work.”
Check out this interview with Ariel Zirulnick of The Membership Puzzle Project (MPP), which recently published a guide to membership best practices and common mistakes after speaking with teams in 50 newsrooms.
Related: Read Doomscrolling and negativity bias: The way we consume news may be detrimental to our health
Will a Spotify Model Work for News Publishers?
Dominic Ponsford makes the case for bundled news subscriptions.
Publishers See Success with Paid Digital Events
“‘By charging, you provide really high quality leads to sponsors,’ said James. And while it may be a couple hundred top-tier leads, those leads are exponentially more likely to make a purchase from a sponsor than 2,000 regular leads that trickle in and out during an event, or don’t tune in at all.”
Related: Check out “We’re trying to reiterate the value we provide”: How publishers are wooing new readers through innovative ad campaigns.
