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Historic news media collaboration - Government campaign reinforces the value of trusted news media

17 April 2020
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COVID-19 has inspired an industry to collaborate with a nationwide Government advertising campaign across the national, regional and local press.

This approach lands meaningful revenue for an industry experiencing advertising decline of more than 50%, but avoids fears journalism could fall into the hands of Government.

An industry life raft is essential to minimise casualties in the near and medium term, a period when local and national media are reinforcing their value in communities up and down the country.

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News media challenges brought to a head - Structural change in news and magazines accelerates

7 April 2020

COVID-19 has sent online news surging, with publishers experiencing massive traffic uplift, as trusted news sources become increasingly important.

But the industry is still heavily reliant on print revenues, and we are seeing supply chains come under extreme pressure as core readers self-isolate and retail giants close or de-prioritise news media. Advertising—including categories like retail and travel—has collapsed.

In face of existential threats to the sector, we have written to DCMS to mobilise Government funding to sustain news provision and journalism.

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Enders Analysis calls for Government support for news & magazine media

26 March 2020

The letter is free to access by clicking through the title.

Quality news media is a public good, and in the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19 the sustainability of information and news provision should be ensured at all costs. 

COVID-19 has given new urgency to protect the supply of local and national news. News media, perhaps particularly local news media, is a critical information service for a vulnerable population, many of whom are confined at home. In the context of the findings of the Cairncross Review, the pandemic is intensifying rather than abating the sector's decade-long commercial crisis due to a clutch of inter-related structural changes.  

Many recent initiatives – including the Cairncross Review itself, the Nesta Future News fund and the Public Interest News Foundation – rightly focused on a framework for developing long-term sustainable models for news media. Government needs to shift the focus to managing an emergency; not just for our country’s health, but our citizen’s provision of quality news and information. Right now, we need to mobilize Government funding to make quality news a public service.

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Access report

  • News media challenges brought to a head - Structural change in news and magazines accelerates

    7 April 2020

    COVID-19 has sent online news surging, with publishers experiencing massive traffic uplift, as trusted news sources become increasingly important.

    But the industry is still heavily reliant on print revenues, and we are seeing supply chains come under extreme pressure as core readers self-isolate and retail giants close or de-prioritise news media. Advertising—including categories like retail and travel—has collapsed.

    In face of existential threats to the sector, we have written to DCMS to mobilise Government funding to sustain news provision and journalism.

    Access report

  • Enders Analysis calls for Government support for news & magazine media

    26 March 2020

    The letter is free to access by clicking through the title.

    Quality news media is a public good, and in the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19 the sustainability of information and news provision should be ensured at all costs. 

    COVID-19 has given new urgency to protect the supply of local and national news. News media, perhaps particularly local news media, is a critical information service for a vulnerable population, many of whom are confined at home. In the context of the findings of the Cairncross Review, the pandemic is intensifying rather than abating the sector's decade-long commercial crisis due to a clutch of inter-related structural changes.  

    Many recent initiatives – including the Cairncross Review itself, the Nesta Future News fund and the Public Interest News Foundation – rightly focused on a framework for developing long-term sustainable models for news media. Government needs to shift the focus to managing an emergency; not just for our country’s health, but our citizen’s provision of quality news and information. Right now, we need to mobilize Government funding to make quality news a public service.

    Download report

    Access report