Future of media: Shift in emphasis as Press Gazette focuses in on the big picture

Sharp-eyed readers will notice Press Gazette has tweaked its masthead slogan, replacing “Fighting for Journalism” with “The Future of Media”.

This doesn’t mean that we are going to stop “fighting for journalism” – we believe passionately in the power and importance of quality journalism – but we are undergoing a change in emphasis.

Whereas in years past Press Gazette covered every cough and spit of the day-to-day goings-on in British journalism, today we are more selective about on-the-day news focusing more on the big themes which are shaping the future of media not just in the UK but around the world.

A big part of that is analysing and understanding the relationship between platforms and publishers.

Today Samsung is a bigger distributor of news than WH Smith and the two biggest news companies in the UK (and around the world), Google and Facebook, don’t employ a single reporter.

We think investigating and holding global tech companies to account, and explaining how content creators can make the best use of them, is an important part of our mission.

We also think many of the answers to the central question we ask ourselves every day – how to find a sustainable future for quality journalism in the digital age – are global ones. Hence the appointment of US editor William Turvill.

When it comes to news our focus is around covering on-the-day stories where we feel we can add significant value. Everything else we will link to on Twitter and round up in our daily newsletter (sign up here).

We also prioritise original news reporting and exclusives. If you have a tip please get in touch with our news editor Charlotte Tobitt.

For features and investigations, our focus is on providing valuable insight which will help guide industry decision-makers.

If you have an idea for a feature, or would like to write for Press Gazette, please get in touch with UK and commissioning editor Freddy Mayhew.

If you are interested in the future of media, and how to be in it, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter which features all our in-depth coverage of the topic delivered free to your in-box every Thursday.

Below are the content pillars of Press Gazette – The Future of Media:

News industry audience and business data

We are the go-to resource for free and independent audience data covering broadcasting, print and online.

We also investigate business data, provide unique research on the success of paywalls and conduct regular surveys of our extremely engaged 10,000-strong newsletter readership (like this survey on newsroom life one year on from the first UK lockdown).

Platforms and the future of media

Google and Facebook are spending $2bn over the next three years on content, and other tech platforms are sure to follow suit.

Social media platforms, search engine companies, app providers and hardware makers all need news and are increasingly willing to pay for it. Press Gazette is the must-read resource for news, insight and analysis about how publishers can make the best use of platforms to provide a sustainable future for quality journalism.

Our Platform Profiles series provides our verdict on the apps and technology platforms news industry leaders need to know about, from TikTok to Parler.

Investigations

Like everyone, we want to create content that passes the so-what factor, stands the test of time and makes a difference. Investigations are a great way of doing that. Recent examples include:

Profits from propaganda: Our investigation into how Facebook takes money from China to promote misinformation about the repression of Uighur Muslims
Cash for conspiracies: How David Icke, ‘alternative’ media and tech giants make money from coronavirus conspiracies.

News leader interviews

We are building up a bank of the best newsroom and media interviews you will find anywhere.

Recent interviewees include:

Whereas national and consumer media interviews tend to focus on showbiz fluff, we mix fun questions with detailed probing around business models and management nuts and bolts. If you want to find out what’s working and understand how to emulate it then Press Gazette’s interviews are essential reading.

Comment

We commission some of the biggest names in the business to help news industry leaders address what many say is their biggest challenge: bringing about change.

Our columnists include former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, former FT editor Lionel Barber, Channel 4 editor-at-large Dorothy Byrne and former Digiday editor in chief Brian Morrissey.

Marketing

This is a new area for us but essential to anyone who cares about the future of media. We don’t cover the creative side of the marketing industry but we are interested in the big structural themes which impact the ability of publishers to monetise their sites.

Advertising is the great democratising influence that has brought news to the people for hundreds of years and it is not going away. But Google and Facebook’s dominance creates huge challenges for anyone trying to monetise quality content.

We investigate and explore how publishers can compete with the Duopoly and what the latest changes in advertising technology mean for them, not least what Google’s scrapping of third-party cookies on Chrome means for publishers’ ability to serve advertising.

The commercial bit

All this great content means Press Gazette is connecting with an audience of senior decision-makers in the global news business like never before.

We have 10,000 highly engaged newsletter subscribers and reach some 300,000 unique users a month via our website.

For businesses that depend on reaching these decision-makers, we offer a range of marketing solutions.

We can run native content, backed by cutting-edge technology from our in-house marketing solution Lead Monitor with a lead-generation guarantee, newsletter sponsorship and social media campaigns (reaching some 80,000+social media followers).

And this year we are running a range of events (all virtual for the moment) culminating with the British Journalism Awards for public interest journalism.

More information about how to join us as a commercial partner here.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Dominic Ponsford

@DomPonsford

Dominic Ponsford is the editor in chief of Press Gazette and has more than 20 years experience in journalism. Former Paul Foot Awards finalist and PPA editor of the year nominee 2022.