How to meet readers where they are (when where they are is offline)

[Nieman Lab: The Daily Digest] Wednesday, January 31, 2024 [How to meet readers where they are (when where they are is offline)]( “Traffic to news sites through social media has dropped in recent years, and over half of adults over 65 don’t use social media at all. We wanted to build a way to get The City’s service journalism to New Yorkers who wouldn’t otherwise see it.” By Owen Berg. [The New York Times rolls out new byline pages]( What We’re Reading Adweek / Mark Stenberg [Why are publishers cutting their D.C. bureaus in an election year? →]( “Readers of the LA Times and [The Wall Street] Journal are not placing subscription orders to read political coverage. In periods of retrenchment, sticking to your core competencies is an axiom.” The Atlantic / Paul Farhi [“The same old story, only worse”: The latest round of media layoffs feels especially ominous →]( “What makes this so unnerving is the fact that the meltdown has come amid—and in seeming defiance of—a generally booming economy. The ranks of professional journalists keep declining even as overall unemployment stays low, incomes rise, and the stock market reaches new heights. What’s more, a presidential-election cycle tends to produce a surge of readers, viewers, and advertisers as people pay closer attention to the news. Not this time, at least so far: Traffic to leading news sites and Nielsen ratings of national cable news trended down throughout 2023.” Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism / Laura Oliver [Editors from Brazil, Uganda, Nigeria, and Nepal on launching independent newsrooms with a focus on women’s issues →]( “Several independent female-led or feminist media outlets are at the forefront of this trend. In different languages, across different continents and with teams of different sizes, Brazil’s AzMina, Uganda’s HerStory, Nigeria’s BONews Service and Nepal’s Boju Bajai are all part of this movement.” Los Angeles Times [Hector Becerra named managing editor of the Los Angeles Times →]( “Becerra will oversee daily newsgathering and editorial operations, beginning today. He will also work with Tang to examine all aspects of The Times’ report and editorial staffing as the newsroom undergoes a leadership transition and reorganization.” Reuters / Brendan O'Boyle and David Alire Garcia [Mexican leak of journalists’ personal data is raising concerns in one of the world’s most dangerous countries for reporters →]( Mexican authorities confirmed government computers were hacked and that the personal data — including home addresses — of at least 263 journalists was stolen. Among the victims are reporters at leading media such as La Jornada, El Universal, Expansion, and Reuters. Bloomberg / Thomas Buckley [Illegal streaming pirates are bringing in $2 billion a year in ads and subscriber fees →]( “With no video production costs, illicit streaming sites have achieved profit margins approaching 90% … In the US, which counts almost 130 subscription piracy sites, the MPA estimates that the top three combined have about 2 million users paying $5 to $10 per month for films, TV shows and live sports.” New York Times / Kevin Draper and Benjamin Mullin [The cover of Sports Illustrated was once the most coveted real estate in sports journalism →]( “The internet, and social media platforms like Instagram, mean that more photography is showcased to more people than ever before. Now that fans see every angle of every game, with highlights and shots available instantly on social media, no single image has the same power that Sports Illustrated’s cover once did.” [Nieman Lab]( / [Fuego]( [Twitter]( / [Facebook]( [View email in browser]( [Unsubscribe]( You are receiving this daily newsletter because you signed up for for it at www.niemanlab.org. Nieman Journalism Lab Harvard University 1 Francis Ave.Cambridge, MA 02138 [Add us to your address book](