Thursday 21st September: Elle returning to print as demand for hard copies grows

September 21, 2023

Good morning! Today's newsletter is brought to you by Esther.

As AI advances continue to disrupt the way we work, there are many questions from news and media organisations: What will be the impact of AI on audience expectations? How can we maintain trust in our news content in the AI era?

Reuters sheds light on these questions in an exclusive report: Powering Trusted News with AI: Navigating the present and shaping the future.

The report explores the role of AI in news and journalism and offers practical advice on how AI can help streamline your processes.

Elle magazine returns to print as ‘readers tire of digital deluge’

Glossy magazines are making their way back into the hands of Australians, and now one of the nation’s largest publishers is reviving the iconic Elle in print.

www.smh.com.au/business/companies/elle-magazine-returns-to-print-as-readers-tire-of-digital-deluge-20230915-p5e4za.html

Cor blimey. Not a headline I expected to read any time soon. But perhaps I should, after all there have been a peppering of stories recently about a possible print revival. Earlier this month - as was noted in our community forum - NME’s Holly Bishop gave an interview to FIPP about the magazine returning to print, and particularly in the interest Gen Z and Alpha have in physical products.

Now, Elle magazine (Australia) is returning to print in 2024 thanks to a resurgence in readership of hard copy publications. It’s not just Elle doing well either; take a look at this chart from the article about readership of popular titles in the country:

Print won’t ever get back to the levels of popularity they enjoyed pre-digital. But could there be enough interest to make it commercially viable again for more publishers?

People, Planet, Purpose (and AI) in local journalism

Welcome to the first edition of the Happy Journalist - exploring local journalism sustainability through the lens of people, planet and purpose in an AI era

jacquimerrington.substack.com/p/people-planet-purpose-and-ai-in-local

Jacqui Merrington, ex-Discovery Director at Reach, has started a newsletter all about local journalism sustainability in an AI era. If you’re a bit fed up with all the doom and gloom surrounding AI and the future of media, this is a welcome dash of optimism. I’m looking forward to the next edition already.

If lawsuits and lobbying mean a win for publishers around AI companies scraping content, what might that do for the future of media online? Share your thoughts in our community forum.

Newslaundry built a news app requested and funded by readers

When Newslaundry readers expressed interest in an app to listen to its podcasts, the subscription-driven publication used crowdfunding to create it.

www.inma.org/blogs/ideas/post.cfm/newslaundry-built-a-news-app-requested-and-funded-by-readers

Rolling out an app understandably wasn’t top of the list for resource-stretched publisher Newslaundry. So when listeners kept writing to them about the need for an app that offered a seamless listening experience for their paywalled podcasts, they launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund the app’s initial development and engineering cost.

Would you consider crowdfunding specific products or features? You know what we’re about to suggest… come talk about it in our community forum!

Five ideas to convert readers into subscribers

Asking people to pay immediately is not the only way. The Audiencers tells readers to take up free newsletters first and paid products later

www.journalism.co.uk/news/five-ideas-to-convert-readers-to-subscribers/s2/a1072238

We’ve been huge admirers of The Audiencers since their launch last year - their content and contributors are absolutely top-notch. Here, editor-in-chief Madeleine White speaks about their own approach to gating content on a website dedicated to paywall and subscription best practice.

More from Media Voices

Why John Ryley is dead wrong about ad boycotts threatening democracy

John Ryley, former head of Sky News, said during a speech that brands that boycott GB News are "a threat to democracy". He's wrong.

voices.media/why-john-ryley-is-dead-wrong-about-ad-boycotts-threatening-democracy

Mx3 and Media Voices join forces to launch new AI event for publishers

Media Makers Meet (Mx3) and Media Voices are collaborating on a new event focused on developments and opportunities in AI for publishers and media leaders.

voices.media/mx3-and-media-voices-join-forces-to-launch-new-ai-event-for-publishers

Nine things we learned making an indie print magazine

The Grub Street Journal is a magazine for people who make magazines. Here are nine things the team learned making the print-first magazine.

voices.media/grub-street-journal