How publishers can address four of the biggest issues — Originally published at https://digitalcontentnext.org on June 15, 2022. The annual Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is a must-read for anyone in the news, media and digital publishing industries. Clocking in at 164 pages, the latest study, which came out today, covers a cornucopia…

How eCommerce can support content, first party data and revenue strategies — At first glance, the latest Digital News Report does not seem like an obvious source for insights into eCommerce strategies and implementation. A cursory glance of the 164-page document reveals that “eCommerce” and “online shopping” are mentioned just three times. That may be surprising, given that an earlier study, the…

Why — and how — media companies are tapping into online shopping, as part of their revenue diversification strategies — In February I dropped a new report, eCommerce in Publishing: Trends and Strategies, commissioned by What’s New In Publishing (WNiP) and sponsored by Sovrn. The study was also supported by the University of Oregon School of Journalism & Communication, where I am the Chambers Chair in Journalism.

Tl;DR of my members-only workshop for the International News Media Association (INMA) — Last week I was fortunate to be invited to deliver an INMA members-only Webinar, sponsored by Tipser, looking at some of the best practices for implementing e-commerce into editorial and business strategies. As part of the session, I also highlighted some of the emerging challenges publishers need to address so…

The tried and tested format continues to be embraced by media companies — This is an excerpt from the free-to-download report, eCommerce in Publishing: Trends & Strategies, written by me for What’s New In Publishing (WNiP). Read the introduction here, and the first chapter “Why eCommerce? Why now?”. An established revenue formula For many publishers, affiliate relationships will be their first — and often primary — foray…

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the U.S. news industry, especially at the local level, accelerating trend lines evident since the early 2000s. What can be done to safeguard local news? — “What role can (and should) media policy play in supporting a strong, sustainable, vibrant local media sector in the United States?” That’s the question I explored in late-2021 and early 2022 in a five part webinar series for the Tow Center for Digital Journalism.

The latest edition of the World Association of News Publishers annual flagship research report highlights an industry optimistic about the future, but alive to its challenges. — I’ve been fortunate to be part of the team involved in the production of this year’s World Press Trends report, which came out earlier in the month, taking the lead on writing the text. The study is anchored in responses to an online survey distributed to C-level industry leaders in…

How COVID — and publisher’s need to diversify revenues — have helped to create conditions for eCommerce plays to flourish — This is an excerpt from the free-to-download report, eCommerce in Publishing: Trends & Strategies, written by me for What’s New In Publishing (WNiP). Read the introduction here. In this first chapter, we explore the growing prominence of eCommerce in publishers’ revenue strategies and the role that COVID-19 has played in…