Funding

Task: Why is newspaper funding important?

Funding is really important for the survival of the newspaper industry. Explain funding supports each of the below:

Production costs
Ability to invest in new technology
Journalistic independence

Possible answers

Newspapers require significant financial investment to produce and distribute, including expenses for printing, paper, staff salaries, and technology infrastructure.
As the media landscape evolves, newspapers need to invest in new technologies and digital platforms to stay competitive and attract readers. This may require significant financial investment in areas such as website development, social media, and mobile apps.
Newspapers need sufficient funding to maintain their journalistic independence and integrity, enabling them to report on issues that may be controversial or critical of powerful interests. Without adequate funding, newspapers may face pressure to compromise their editorial standards in order to secure financial support.

Pamco

Pamco is the media institution that collates the data for the circulation and readership of British published media.

Newspaper circulation is the amount of copies a newspaper distributes on a given day. This isn’t necessarily the amount it sells, which is known as paid circulation.

Newspaper readership figures are harder to calculate, but take into account people who may not buy the paper, but still read it (either second hand, commuters, family members etc.)

This graph shows the circulation of major British newspapers in January 2020.

What can you infer about the most popular genre that is being consumed?
Why may this be?

Task: Data Analysis

Study the sheet showing key print/online circulation figures for major British newspapers.

Which newspapers are doing better in print?
Which ones are doing better online?
Why may this be? Can you spot any trends / patterns emerging?

newspaper data sheet for website.pdf

Task: Funding methods

Detailed below are the major methods of newspaper funding. Write down notes for each method and then try to find examples from The Guardian and Daily Mail.

1. Paywalls

This is the process of paying to access online content.

The Times uses a paywall still but The Sun discontinued it. By putting up a paywall, news organisations may discourage readers from accessing their content, resulting in a reduction in overall traffic to their website. Paywalls may also limit the ability of news organisations to reach new audiences and expand their readership, as not everyone is willing or able to pay for online content.

2. Memberships and Subscriptions

A subscription typically involves paying a set amount of money to access a news organisation's content for a specified period of time, such as a month or a year. Subscriptions may include various benefits such as access to exclusive content, discounts, and events.

Memberships involve paying a regular fee to support a news organisation's journalism, rather than paying for access to specific content. In exchange, members may receive benefits such as early access to content, exclusive events, or other perks.

3. Print and online advertising

Print advertising refers to ads that appear in newspapers. These ads can take various forms, including display ads and inserts.

Online advertising refers to ads that appear on websites and other digital platforms. These ads can take various forms, including banner ads, sponsored content, and pop-up advertising.

While print advertising remains a significant source of revenue for some news organisations, it has declined in recent years as more readers have shifted to digital platforms. Online advertising has become more important to news organisations as a result, but it also comes with its own set of challenges, such as ad-blocking software and competition from social media platforms.

4. Sponsored content

Sponsored content is a form of advertising that involves creating content that looks and feels like editorial content but is actually paid for by an advertiser.

Sponsored content can take many forms, such as articles, videos, infographics, or social media posts, and is usually designed to match the style and tone of the news organisation's regular content. It is typically labelled as 'sponsored' or 'paid' content to distinguish it from editorial content.

5. Events

News organisations can host events such as conferences, seminars, and workshops, where readers and industry professionals can come together to discuss relevant topics and learn from experts.

Events can provide news organisations with a way to deepen their engagement with readers and to build relationships with advertisers and sponsors.

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