The Times and Sunday Times are the latest UK news titles to join the “digital landgrab” for US audiences, appointing Katie Davies to the newly-created role of US editor.
Times Media, part of News UK, said Davies’ remit “will be to expand the breadth and range of Times journalism for a US digital audience“. Davies will be based out of New York, working in parent company News Corp‘s offices.
Davies joins from The Independent – another UK-founded publisher seeing substantial US digital audience growth – where she oversaw the US editorial team. Times Media credits her with doubling The Independent’s audience while in the role. Before joining The Independent Davies spent seven years at Mail Online in New York.
Davies said The Times and Sunday Times were “increasingly ambitious about overseas expansion, particularly in the US.
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“I look forward to working with some of the finest journalists and editors in the English language.”
Times editor Tony Gallagher said: “Katie has extensive experience and passion for enterprising journalism and newsroom innovation. Her appointment is a milestone in the expansion of our digital business and I look forward to working with her.”
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Sunday Times editor Ben Taylor, meanwhile, said that 2024 “is shaping up to be a momentous one for American politics and it’s the perfect moment for both titles to expand and coordinate their digital coverage”.
Other publishers investing in the US in recent years have included Mirror and Express publisher Reach, Mail Online, the BBC and The Daily Telegraph.
Media analyst Abi Watson of Enders Analysis told Press Gazette earlier this year that US audiences offer more advertising revenue per user than their British counterparts, owing both to the greater wealth of the US and the current strength of the dollar relative to the pound.
“There are not going to be enough people that you are going to reach in the UK to offset the decline in newsstand sales, even if your business has subscriptions,” she said, which made US expansion “a necessity”.
[Read more: The British are coming – Fleet Street’s ‘digital landgrab’ on US news sector]
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