The Philadelphia Inquirer reports its first year-over-year revenue growth in over 20 years, reaching profitability. Shift from advertising reliance to subscription revenue has been key to its revival. Unique ownership structure under the Lenfest Institute prioritises civic impact and community engagement. Elizabeth Hughes, the publisher and CEO of The Philadelphia Inquirer, this week shared a rare piece of good news in the beleaguered world of American local journalism: for the first time in more than two decades, the 197-year-old newspaper has achieved year-over-year revenue growth and returned to operating profitability. Writing against the backdrop of the recent closure of the…

Mainstream Indian publishers are shifting from advertising reliance to direct commerce models Hindustan Times leads with a content-to-commerce approach focused on automotive, tech, finance, and lifestyle The strategy aims to monetise emerging e‑commerce growth while balancing editorial integrity and audience trust India’s mainstream publishers are increasingly turning editorial expertise into commerce, betting that guiding readers through purchase decisions can offset slowing growth in display advertising, which is affecting this huge market as much as those in the West. Hindustan Times is among the most advanced adopters of the model, using specialised journalism, data science and partner integrations to drive transactions…

OpenAI confirms ads will appear in free ChatGPT tiers soon, with paid tiers remaining ad-free Ads will be clearly labelled, adjustable, and excluded for users under 18 and sensitive topics Industry experts warn of balancing commercial interests with user trust in conversational AI OpenAI has confirmed that advertising will begin appearing in ChatGPT in the US for free and Go tiers “over the coming weeks”, while paid plans such as Pro, Business and Enterprise will remain ad-free. The change converts what many treated as a laboratory for organic visibility into a commercial marketplace, complete with pricing, targeting and measurement, and…

John Harris steps back from daily management, focuses on strategy and growth Matthew Kaminski takes over as editor in chief, bringing international expertise Move signals Politico’s bid to strengthen its US and global influence in competitive media environment In a significant leadership change at Politico, founding editor in chief John F. Harris is stepping away from day-to-day newsroom management, with global editor Matthew Kaminski set to take charge of the US operation. The transition, announced today, signals a generational shift for Politico more than a decade after its launch helped redefine political journalism in Washington. It reflects an organisation seeking…

Cloudflare updates its open x402 payment-gated proxy template to support wider micropayment use The x402 protocol aims to facilitate programme‑not‑state payments for APIs and content The move aligns with broader initiatives to normalise on‑chain and tokenised payments on the web Cloudflare is expanding its push to make paid access to web content easier to implement, updating its open x402 payment-gated proxy template as part of a broader effort to normalise micropayments for publishers and developers. The update strengthens Cloudflare’s case that small, per-request payments can work at web scale as automated traffic grows and traditional advertising economics weaken. At the…

Beehiiv plans to double its advertising team by 2026 to boost revenue streams The move aims to expand monetisation options for creators on its platform Industry observers see it as a response to increasing advertiser demand and platform competition Beehiiv, the newsletter platform, is expanding its in-house advertising operation as it looks to scale a fast-growing revenue stream for both the company and creators on its platform. As growth in paid newsletters slows and competition intensifies, platforms like Beehiiv are under pressure to offer creators more robust monetisation options beyond subscriptions, pushing them closer to the ad-tech and media-services businesses…

Dow Jones hires M Scott Havens as chief growth officer to lead digital expansion Havens brings extensive experience from Bloomberg, The Atlantic and Time Inc. Move signals a push for increased digital and consumer revenue growth Dow Jones as hired M. Scott Havens as its chief growth officer, the company said. Havens is due to start in January. The appointment signals Dow Jones’ intent to accelerate growth across its digital and consumer businesses at a time when legacy publishers are under pressure to expand subscriptions and product-led revenue. Havens’ career has been built around scaling digital media operations and audience…

The former editor finalises a $30 million funding round to expand his YouTube channel The move signals increasing investor interest in creator-driven, partisan media platforms Critics raise concerns over media plurality and the influence of outside capital in UK journalism Piers Morgan is close to securing about $30 million in new funding in an attempt to turn his YouTube programme Piers Morgan Uncensored into a global media business. The move would value the operation at just under £100 million before new money and further cement the shift of high-profile commentators into venture-backed media companies. Sky News City editor Mark Kleinman…

Exor in exclusive talks to sell most of GEDI to Greece’s Antenna Group Italian journalists strike and protest over job security and editorial independence Government and unions scrutinise deal amid fears for media pluralism and democratic heritage Italy’s media sector has been jolted by confirmation that Exor, the Agnelli-Elkann family holding company, is in exclusive talks to sell most of the GEDI publishing group to Greece’s Antenna Group. The prospect of a sale has triggered strikes, newsroom protests and calls for government intervention over the future of La Repubblica and La Stampa. The ownership and independence of two of Italy’s…

James Lamont departs after 25 years at the FT to become CEO of Norway’s DN Media Group His extensive experience includes digital innovation, strategic partnerships, and international journalism Expected to bring strategic growth and digital expertise to the Norwegian media publisher James Lamont will leave the Financial Times at the end of the year to become chief executive of Norway’s DN Media Group, closing a 25-year chapter at the FT that spanned editorial leadership, strategic partnerships and digital development. Lamont’s FT career included eight years as Managing Editor, a period in which he helped guide the newsroom through a pivotal…