Welcome to The Signal, hosted by Fergus Bell and Tom Trewinnard. Have you ever wondered how journalism makes money? Or how news itself makes money? This episode is about the mechanics of journalism, so Tom and Fergus dig into a big spread of crucial topics: What is Reader Revenue? What about ad-blockers and paywalls? What about "mission driven" orgs and non-profits?

They look at the rise and rise of the New York Times' digital offering, Supporters vs Membership, Goalhanger's significant signal, the surprising rebirth of the Salt Lake Tribune, the FT's Weekend Festival and the journalism-as-theatre element of real-life experiences, merchandising for news creators, the incoming AI companies and their need for data, and the invite-only deals being signed.

Plus: the deeply philanthropic afterlife of Craig Newmark's Craigslist. Do you remember the Facebook-driven "Pivot To Video"? All that, plus Spider-Man, Harry Potter, and what Fergus noticed about Vienna…

If you want to understand how the news is being created and distributed, how AI is — and can be — used in newsrooms, insights from media leaders and practical thinking on the future of journalism, as well as honest conversations about what's working and what isn't, then subscribe and follow to stay close to The Signal.

Fergus and Tom will be here every week. Find The Signal on YouTube, Spotify, Apple and wherever you get your podcasts.

Produced by Rob Fitzpatrick

Edited by James Bullock

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.