Last July, Scardino had expressed the opinion that subscription fees might be a barrier to growing the online debate. She seems to have changed her mind.

"As debate online has become more diffuse - hundreds of thousands or millions of voices on each topic - it has become less helpful in a way," she said recently. "The trend now online seems to be some sort of mediation and we think we might have a role there."

Scardino also insisted on the importance of the FT’s international editions – Europe, Asia and US – although observers claim they are all unprofitable.

Pearson’s higher education department was the engine of its growth, with a profit margin of 14% (8.7% for press and 7.8% for Penguin publishing).

Source: The Guardian – Le Figaro (link in French)