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Publishers and Platforms: Evolving Journalism’s Business Models
Podcast

Publishers and Platforms: Evolving Journalism’s Business Models

The Let's Talk About the Internet Series

Mohit Rajhans and Emma Gilchrist
Facebook, 2022
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8

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In the past, news organizations relied on ad revenue for financial stability and growth. Today, as journalism’s digital transformation continues, news outlets must find other, more flexible, and more online models. These financial structures rely less on advertising and more on audience engagement and social media outreach. The Canadian online environmental report, The Narwhal, operates successfully with a subscription model. Its co-founder, Emma Gilchrist, talked to Mohit Rajhans, host of the Let’s Talk About the Internet podcast, about the changing face of journalism.

Summary

New models for journalism sustain niche news sites.

The Narwhal, a Canadian online-only news outlet, found an opportunity to support an underserved audience. It provides in-depth environmental news, thus filling the reporting gap that emerged over the last decades as newsrooms shed their beat reporters and many stopped routinely covering environmental stories.

The Narwhal and similar online outlets don’t depend on advertisements, the traditional source of revenue for print news. Instead, it turns to members’ subscriptions for support. The Narwhal’s nonprofit status allows it to offer tax benefits to donors and to compete for philanthropic grants. Its pay-what-you-can subscription plan has generated consistently increasing readership. Relying on this revenue model, The Narwhal now supports eight reporters.

The outlet’s financial freedom translates to editorial independence and audience engagement. Since it doesn’t have to please corporate shareholders, The Narhwal can focus on member engagement.

The Narwhal...

About the Podcast

Mohit Rajhans hosts the Let's Talk About the Internet podcast. Journalist Emma Gilchrist is co-founder of The Narwhal.

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