The aggressive UK newspaper market has embraced online news, making developments quick to stay ahead of the game. Editors Weblog has spoken to top executives at two quality and two tabloid newspapers to try and garner the key themes and learnings from potentially the most competitive newspaper market in the world. Over the course of four pieces of analysis, we compare the approach of all four newspapers towards logistics, content, staff and financials.

Part 1: Logistics Matter
Part 2: Let readers lead your content
Part 3: The web provides opportunities to show content on more than one platform. Use it wisely.
Part 4: Don’t forget your staff, or the bank balance

 

Nurture and train your journalists

There’s a new breed of journalists who are looking to expand their skills by using multimedia. They are keen to learn and will work hard to get the results needed and build up their name. There are also a lot of mid-career journalists who see the chance to improve their skills and enhance their value.

The Telegraph recognized the need for training with this big new development. It gave all journalists a weeks training as they moved into their new fully integrated newsroom. Edward Roussel, Digital Editor at the Telegraph told Editors Weblog that “many journalists are web savvy anyway. The training helped them understand more about reporting a live news story in a digital environment. In 2006, training was very much ‘one size fits all’. The goal in 2007 is to go deeper.”

The Consulting Editor, Rhidian Wynn Davies made it clear that “journalists aren’t expected to be experts in all areas of multi-media, the training was an introduction to the different platforms available.” He continued,  “People have different talents and we intend to infuse the organization with a range of skills but it’s not a mathematical equation as to what skills lie on each desk. Its about the appropriateness, not all stories will have audio and video angles right now”

The sentiment is shared by all the newspapers Editors Weblog spoke to. It is essential to train those who want to be trained as it will enhance the overall product. Forcing teams to report in a way they are not comfortable with can only produce poor results.

The Sun and The Times both have separate editorial teams for the web and therefore equip and train them accordingly. The Telegraph predominantly use its current editorial base of journalists, deciding which stories should be reported using multimedia on a case by case (and therefore a journalist by journalist basis).

There is likely to be some fall out when a major change to the working day is implemented but it is essential that staff buy into the reasons for change and the overall concept, before the change is implemented. The Telegraph narrowly missed strike action because the message didn’t quite get across as effectively as it could have done. Now, journalists there are keen to see their work published in as many different formats, on as many different media as possible.


Invest to impress makes a good service but isn’t always necessary

The Times has recently spent around £10million revamping their website. It looks great. Is this cost really necessary?

The Mirror has also recently revamped their site. But they did it on a shoestring with literally no direct set up costs. All new services and functionality are based on a fee per 000 views for which they will then charge sponsors/advertisers in order to cover the cost (and one would assume a little profit). It’s a clever model as user interaction pays but can also be risky. As mirror.co.uk already has a good reader base, the cost per click advertising level is already relatively high.

 
Consider other revenue streams

All the newspapers considered have opted for straight sponsorship and advertising revenues to some degree.

The Times believes in balanced subscription services and sponsorship a little more than straight advertising. This means that the ‘sponsor’ has their material embedded in the functions of the site more. This works well particularly for video.

It’s important to get the buy in from other depts, says Anne Spackman, Editor Times Online. It’s possible to do online what can’t be done in paper, with the ability to measure and using more visuals and sounds. In print, advertisers want to be at the front of the book but it can’t be guaranteed which story they’ll appear next to - there is always the question of relevance or, worse, a negative article next to the advert.

The tabloids have both embraced content partnerships – particularly bingo, dating and diet clubs. Services are usually white-labeled or co-branded by third parties (for example mirror.co.uk uses Dating Direct and thesun.co.uk uses Friends Reunited dating). The newspaper provides the audience and does the marketing and the third party provides the actual services. The third party pays the newspaper a revenue share based on number of signups or level of spend. It’s a good system for newspapers as it is low cost with no initial outlay, requiring a marketing push for launch and ongoing promotion on the website/in print.

Another new trend which is likely to become prominent this year is the move to digitize past editions. Relatively new software allows for old copies to be scanned in a way that recognizes text therefore making it possible to store and search old articles online. The Mirror is digitizing everything since 1903. It will be deeplinked into the site and will be free to browse but users will need to pay to print or to download articles.


So, are UK websites profitable?

The Times says that if you take the added cost and look at the added profit, then yes. If you include the extra time taken, the overheads etc, probably not. None of the newspapers are entirely forthcoming when talking about figures and it’s likely that this is a similar situation for all.  

Some newspapers have decided on high upfront costs, keeping technology and expertise in house whereas others have off set their risk by choosing a ‘pay as you go’ model that leaves services in the hands of third parties. The good news is that online revenues are increasing rapidly and online news is growing in popularity.

At the end of the day readers are fickle, they go to the place that delivers the type and tone of content that they want to see. Newspapers must set their websites to be flexible to allow them to constantly adapt to the changing environment.