How news media organizations around the globe are approaching sustainable journalism in their subscription strategies is the focus of a new report released by the International News Media Association (INMA).
Written by Paulo Celso Pereira, executive editor of Brazil’s O Globo, ‘Beyond the Funnel: Advice For a New Subscription Strategy’ provides a look at how to develop a subscriber base that allows a media company to be profitable and secure its future.
Originally written as Pereira’s capstone project for the Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York (CUNY), the report’s aim is to address a top challenge of many newsrooms today: building a sustainable subscriber base.
Through his research, Pereira identified a key problem for general news media outlets: Since they are not segmented or niched, it is easy to try to address all kinds of readers. But not all readers are open to paying for news.
“Every successful news organization that is managing to survive and grow does so under unique circumstances, making it impossible for others to simply replicate its model,” Pereira said.
The report distills five key lessons from Pereira’s research: Create journalism worth paying for; Focus on the audiences who matter most; Align the entire company behind a shared goal; and Build habits and emotional bonds with readers.
Keep experimenting
Pereira selected five successful media companies from different countries to find ideas and advice that can inspire and help editors to think of some paths to navigate these turbulent times. Among the report’s case studies are The New York Times (United States), Financial Times (United Kingdom), El País (Spain), Clarín (Argentina), and United Daily News Group (Taiwan).
The report concludes that sustainable journalism requires more than reach; it demands relevance. Media companies must build relationships with readers, understand their needs, and offer distinctive value. Subscription strategies must be aligned across departments, supported by experimentation, and grounded in metrics that reflect loyalty and engagement.
“Beyond the Funnel: Advice For a New Subscription Strategy” is available for free to INMA members and for purchase by non-members at INMA.org/reports.
