The nation’s newsrooms are currently undergoing their most radical reshaping for generations.
As established audiences age, the key battlefield today is for the attention of younger consumers who face near limitless choice.
One result of this is the death of the newsroom as we know it – and much of this is driven by data.
Previously news editors relied on a finely-honed instinct to inform their decision-making.
Now – at a glance – anyone can see how every single piece of content is performing at any chosen moment.
It is an ability that former Mail Online supremo Martin Clarke describes as a “superpower”.
And he should know – under his stewardship the website became an undisputed global news powerhouse.
Traffic and engagement are now the two key criteria on which content is judged.
It means editors are no longer locked away in lengthy meetings debating the relative merits of any story.
They have facts to demonstrate what their audience likes and wants. And that is unprecedented.
Technology also has a part to play in this transformation: The pandemic proved that this is an industry that can operate effectively remotely.
Now publishers like Reach are shutting regional newsrooms with reporters and editors working from their kitchen tables and bedrooms.
This Democracy Insights Report contains extensive input from our unrivalled contacts – senior journalists and editors operating at the coal-face of an industry undergoing its most extraordinary transformation in a generation.
It will investigate the impact of this shift for the comms and marketing sectors while demonstrating the key tactics we must now adopt to ensure we can keep building brand fame and telling stories that drive awareness, relevance and trust for our clients.