The Publisher Podcast by Media Voices

Media Voices: White Light Media CEO Fraser Allen on indie mags and content marketing

This week, CEO of White Light Media Fraser Allen takes us through what it's like to close a much loved indie magazine, the launch of World Whisky Day and trends in the content marketing world. In the news roundup the team discusses Time Inc UK's renaming, the Guardian's new approach to a premium app, and whether Elon Musk is right to launch a site grading journalists' credibility (no). We're reading: - A progress report on Deepnews.ai, via Frederic Filloux - https://mondaynote.com/a-progress-report-on-deepnews-ai-aka-news-quality-scoring-b643d3e7b620 - How media paywalls work in authoritarian countries, via Bloomberg - https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-05-16/how-media-paywalls-work-in-authoritarian-countries - RIP Interview: Here's what killed Andy Warhol's iconic magazine, via AdAge - http://adage.com/article/media/r-i-p-interview-andy-warhol-s-iconic-glossy-dead/313593/?utm_source=mediaworks&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=adage&ttl=1527541683&utm_visit=1254485

Media Voices: The Book Of Man founder Martin Robinson on promoting mental health online

On this week's episode, The Book Of Man co-founder Martin Robinson discusses his journey through the UK magazine industry, the need for a space for men to honestly discuss mental health, and plans for podcasts, longform and membership. In the news roundup we discuss YouTube Music Premium's place in the market, Twitter's latest attempt at fixing its troll problem, and whether it's a good or bad thing that Facebook and Google are now the biggest funders of journalism. We're reading: • Third Party Web Content on EU News Sites: Potential Challenges and Paths to Privacy Improvement, via RISJ - https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2018-05/Third-Party%20Web%20Content%20on%20EU%20News%20Sites.pdf • Why we need older women in the workplace, via The Cut - https://www.thecut.com/2015/08/why-we-need-older-women-in-the-workplace.html • Google's selfish ledger is an unsettling glimpse at Silicon Valley social engineering, via The Verge - https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/17/17344250/google-x-selfish-ledger-video-data-privacy

Media Voices Paywall Special

In this bumper episode, the team discusses the rise of the paywall. As everyone from Vanity Fair to the New Statesman have decided to launch paywalls, we try to determine whether there is a recipe for paywall success, taking in everything from the need for brand recognition, the propensity for people to pay, and the likely outcomes of the trend towards reader revenue. We're reading: • 'Google’s news chief Richard Gingras: “We need to rethink journalism at every dimension”', via Nieman Lab - http://www.niemanlab.org/2018/05/googles-news-chief-richard-gingras-we-need-to-rethink-journalism-at-every-dimension/ • 'What Google Chrome’s new built-in ad blocker means for you', via What's New In Publishing - http://whatsnewinpublishing.com/2018/05/07/google-chromes-new-built-ad-blocker-means/ • 'How not to do paywalls', via TechCrunch - https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/06/subscription-hell/

Media Voices: PressPad founder Olivia Crellin on the need for diversity in journalism

In this week's episode of Media Voices, PressPad founder and BBC journalist Olivia Crellin explains how PressPad aims to diversify the media by removing one of the main financial obstacles to those trying to enter the profession. In the news round-up, the team discuss a week of huge news around paywalls, the success of The New York Times' subscription efforts, and why Snapchat has stopped paying licensing fees. We're reading: • Why the "golden age" of newspapers was the exception, not the rule, via Nieman Lab - http://www.niemanlab.org/2018/05/why-the-golden-age-of-newspapers-was-the-exception-not-the-rule/ • 3 questions to ask your data when evaluating your paywall, via Digital Context Next - https://digitalcontentnext.org/blog/2018/04/30/3-questions-to-ask-your-data-when-evaluating-a-paywall/ • How to get rich quick in Silicon Valley, via Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/apr/17/get-rich-quick-silicon-valley-startup-billionaire-techie

Media Voices: LSE's Charlie Beckett on its Truth, Trust and Technology Commission

In this week's episode we hear from the London School of Economics' professor Charlie Beckett about its Truth, Trust & Technology Commission, on the role of platforms in defining truth, whether media literacy is a good or a bad thing and whether we can still use the term "fake news" as a helpful definition. In the news round-up, a full house of hosts discuss Hearst's mea culpa over abandoning quality journalism in pursuit of scale, Netflix's original content plans, and early wobbles for Facebook's local journalism scheme. We're reading: • The Book of Man: why ex-Shortlist editor is launching a platform to ‘reappraise’ masculinity, via The Drum - http://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/04/16/the-book-man-why-ex-shortlist-editor-launching-platform-reappraise-masculinity • Optimising Journalism for Trust, via Jay Rosen on Medium - https://medium.com/de-correspondent/optimizing-journalism-for-trust-1c67e81c123 • An Apology for the Internet - From the Architects Who Built It, via the New Yorker - http://nymag.com/selectall/2018/04/an-apology-for-the-internet-from-the-people-who-built-it.html

Media Voices: Mic's Cory Haik on millennial loyalty and the importance of deliberate distribution

This week, Mic's Publisher Cory Haik talked to us about surviving as a video-first publisher in a platform world, how they retain a loyal and engaged millennial audience, and why she's not giving up on platform publishing as a sustainable option. In the news round-up, Peter and Esther discuss missed opportunities to grill the Zuck, why they won't be flocking to Yahoo News any time soon, Martin Sorrell's surprise departure and why Flipboard has reclaimed its traffic crown. Chris frolics with hobbits abroad. We're reading: • 'The rationalization of publishing' via Medium - https://medium.com/@ev/the-rationalization-of-publishing-dc001d509de8 • 'The Economist used to be boring, but smart with a wicked dry wit. Now it’s just boring (sigh)' via Twitter - https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/984705630106673152

Media Voices: The Disconnect's founders on experimentation and counter-intuitive bets

This week, Peter speaks to The Disconnect's co-founders Chris Bolin and Clayton d'Arnault about the philosophy and meaning behind a digital magazine that can only be consumed while offline. In the news round-up we discuss the sale of Time Inc's flagship titles, what makes a magazine title valuable to different media companies, and go deep into whether 'the Duopoly' is an unhelpful and misleading label. The team narrowly avoid singing Rihanna. We're reading: • 'This Is So Much Bigger Than Facebook', via The Atlantic -https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/03/data-misuse-bigger-than-facebook/556310/ • '73% of site visitors get there via mobile. Here’s your guided tour through the mobile landscape', via DCN - https://digitalcontentnext.org/blog/2018/03/12/73-site-visitors-get-via-mobile-heres-guided-tour-mobile-landscape/ • 'The podcasting juggernaut has (finally) arrived', via Wired - https://www.wired.com/story/rise-of-daily-news-podcasts/

Media Voices: The Atlantic's Executive Director EMEA Jemima Villanueva on trust and transparency

This week Jemima Villanueva, Executive Director for EMEA at The Atlantic tells us about trends in programmatic advertising, the need for trust, transparency and collaboration and her own role in the Atlantic’s relatively new European operation. In the news round-up the team discuss which 'Netflix for magazines' service will succeed (if any), whether Netflix itself should launch a weekly current affairs show, and discuss what the Evening Standard's redesign says about its five year plan. The team awards its first ever Voicey Award.

Media Voices: Scottish Wedding Directory's Chris Phin on switching niches and ads vs reader revenues

In this week's episode of Media Voices, Peter talks to the Scottish Wedding Directory's Chris Phin about the best way to monetise a niche vertical and switching from tech journalism to covering the wedding market. In the news round-up, the team discuss Amol Rajan and Farhad Manjoo's points getting lost in controversy, Trinity Mirror's rebrand to Reach, and, surprise surprise, 'fake news'.

Media Voices: Twitter's VP for EMEA Bruce Daisley on news, live video and transparency

This week, Twitter's VP of EMEA Bruce Daisley takes us through how the social network rediscovered its 'sweet spot' in the ranks of other platforms, where news and live video fit into its strategy, and media responsibility. In the news roundup the team discuss The New Statesman launching a metered paywall, Snapchat doubling down on an old idea, and the end of social-first publisher Little Things. Chris and Esther make Peter an honorary Millennial. Sign-up to our newsletter at voices.media

Media Voices: Positive News' Sean Dagan Wood on building membership around constructive journalism

In this week's episode, we hear from co-founder of the Constructive Journalism Project Sean Dagan Wood, to learn how at least one publisher is building a membership model around news with a constructive spin. In the news round-up, the team discuss how Kylie Jenner caused Snap's stock to plummet, the swings and roundabouts of Vox Media redundancies and The Atlantic's hiring spree, and Salon using its audience's spare processing power to mine a cryptocurrency. Peter puts his tinfoil hat on for Conspiracy Corner. Sign up for our brand-new newsletter at voices.media!

Media Voices: The Pool's Sam Baker on measuring digital success and launching paid-for newsletters

On this week's episode of Media Voices, we hear from long-time publishing pro Sam Baker, co-founder of women's site 'The Pool'. She talks about what digital success looks like, content partnerships and why she's launching a paid-for email newsletter. Chris is away this week, so in the news round-up Esther and Peter chat between themselves about Chrome's built-in ad-blocker, print redundancy risks from a digital shift at Trinity Mirror regionals, the good, the bad and the ugly of the latest ABC figures, foreign subscribers for US publications and a couple of interesting platform plays at the Guardian.

Media Voices: New Scientist's head of data science Kimberly Karman on paywalls and GDPR

On this 50th episode of Media Voices, we hear from New Scientist’s head of data science Kimberly Karman about the practical application of data science to a business, to GDPR and how they continue to evolve their decade-old paywall. In the news round-up, the team discuss VICE reportedly missing its revenue target, Trinity Mirror buying up Express Newspapers, and good news for the NYT and Twitter. We're reading: • 'Bikini slideshows and other click bait: Do paywalls usher in better content?' via Mollie Bryant - https://www.bigiftrue.org/2018/02/01/paywalls-journalism/ • ‘A Crazy Idea for Funding Local New: Charge People for It’ via NYT - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/07/technology/funding-local-news-charge-people-money.html • 'How Facebook is killing comedy' via Splitsider - http://splitsider.com/2018/02/how-facebook-is-killing-comedy/

Media Voices: European Journalism Centre's Adam Thomas on sustaining quality journalism

In this week's episode of Media Voices, Peter speaks to the European Journalism Centre's Adam Thomas about its mission of enabling and sustaining quality journalism through a program of online resources, seminars, training and grants. In the news round-up we discuss Wired's paywall, digital successes at several other outlets, and the She Rocks editorial campaign across Team Rock's titles. Peter admits that he can't handle the feeling of hope. We're reading: • 'Measuring the reach of "fake news" and online disinformation in Europe', via Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism - https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/our-research/measuring-reach-fake-news-and-online-disinformation-europe • 'The Libraries Bringing Small-Town News Back to Life', via The Atlantic - https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/01/libraries-local-news/551594/ • 'Tackling the Internet’s Central Villain: The Advertising Business', via NYT - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/31/technology/internet-advertising-business.html

Media Voices: President of theguardian.org, Rachel White on funding independent journalism

On this week's episode of Media Voices, Esther interview's the Guardian's director of philanthropic & strategic partnerships Rachel White about finding ways of funding independent journalism. In the news round-up, the crew of the good ship Media Voices discuss Google's plans to fix local news, an uptick in trust in traditional media in the UK and discuss Jonah Peretti insisting that everything is fine at BuzzFeed. We're reading: • 'I write fake news', via the Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jan/26/experience-i-write-fake-news • 'Never get high on your own supply - why social media bosses don't use social media' - via the Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jan/23/never-get-high-on-your-own-supply-why-social-media-bosses-dont-use-social-media • 'Facebook's trust survey isn't as simple as it sounds' - via Nieman Lab http://www.niemanlab.org/2018/01/facebooks-trust-survey-which-will-help-determine-news-feed-ranking-is-two-questions-but-its-not-as-simple-as-it-sounds/

Media Voices: Refinery29's Jacqui Kavanagh on authenticity of experience

In this week's episode of Media Voices, we speak to Refinery29's Jacqui Kavanagh about that brand's success in Europe since it launched in 2015, about what authenticity means to brands and audiences, and why experiential is a growth industry. In the news round-up, the gang discuss the Guardian's return to black, some unfortunate closures at news sites we've long admired, and whether Facebook's plan to have The People judge the trustworthiness of news outlets is a good idea (no, but what's the alternative?) We're reading: - 'The Chicago News Landscape' via the Centre for Media Engagement: https://mediaengagement.org/research/chicago-news-landscape/ - 'How one woman built an award-winning news outlet from her dining room table' via Nieman Lab: http://www.niemanlab.org/2018/01/we-stepped-in-and-started-doing-it-how-one-woman-built-an-award-winning-news-outlet-from-her-dining-room-table/ - ''Time well spent’ is shaping up to be tech’s next big debate’ via The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/17/16903844/time-well-spent-facebook-tristan-harris-mark-zuckerberg

Media Voices: Facebook WTF?

In this special episode of Media Voices, the team rattle through some news before doing a deep-dive into the realities of Facebook killing the news industry (again). Peter, Esther and Chris offer their thoughts on the whys and hows of the decision, plus speculate as to whether this will be good for journalism in the long run and who is most likely to be affected by the decision. We're reading: - Editorial standards put BBC reporters in tough spot over pay equity issue (Scott Nover): A good explainer of the background to the BBC gender discrimination furore, with comparisons to other organisations and a look at the context at the BBC - https://www.poynter.org/news/editorial-standards-put-bbc-reporters-tough-spot-over-pay-equity-issue - When harassment drives women out of journalism (Katherine Goldstein): What could have been if women weren’t hounded out of journalism, with profiles of various women journalists and their stories - https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/12/18/16780424/women-journalism-career-harassment - Peter's enjoying his copy of new indie print magazine Foul Play. Some really nice design touches but loads of great reads unlike too many style over substance indy mags - https://www.foulplaymag.com/

Media Voices: End of Year 2017 Special

Never say we at Media Voices don't know how to treat you right - in this special end of year celebration, we hear from eight of our past guests about what they want (and don't want) to see from the media in 2018. In the feature-length news round-up Chris, Esther and Peter discuss the highlights and lowlights of 2017, and their own personal hopes for next year. Happy holidays! Subscribe to Media Voices on iTunes here - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-voices-podcast/id1181998402?mt=2 - or search 'Media Voices' in your favourite podcast app. Help us improve Media Voices! Complete our first ever listener survey - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VTVZMWM

Media Voices: The Reuters Institute's Nic Newman on bias, bullshit and lies in the news

In this week's episode Nic Newman, Visiting Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, takes us through his and Dr. Richard Fletcher's latest report, entitled 'Bias, Bullshit and Lies: Audience Perspectives on Low Trust in the Media' - http://bit.ly/2juSyAZ In the news round-up, Peter and Esther discuss the pivot FROM video, BuzzFeed's e-commerce proposition, and YouTube's plans to eat the music industry. They begin with fully 30 seconds of snow puns. We're reading: • ‘You have to love the complexities’: Publishers confront challenges in growing events, via Digiday - http://bit.ly/2z0PvVT • The decade of display that wasn't, via Medium - http://bit.ly/2AK8Rhd

Media Voices: The Financial Times' Alyssa Zeisler on using engagement metrics to launch new products

In this week's episode, the Financial Times' audience engagement strategist Alyssa Zeisler takes us through how the team uses engagement metrics to identify a need for new products that benefit new audience segments. In the news round-up the gang attempts the first-ever Media Voices Blitzcast, rounding up as many news items as they can in two minutes each. Among other things, they examine changes to Wired and the FT's paywall strategies, disappointing news for BuzzFeed and the Daily Mail, and a discussion on diversity in the media. The team burns 30 seconds with a discussion of Peter's pelvic floor muscles. We're reading: • How to survive the media apocalypse, via The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/11/media-apocalypse/546935/ • The scary tale of the Washington Post's counter-sting investigation, via WaPo: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/a-woman-approached-the-post-with-dramatic--and-false--tale-about-roy-moore-sje-appears-to-be-part-of-undercover-sting-operation/2017/11/27/0c2e335a-cfb6-11e7-9d3a-bcbe2af58c3a_story.html?utm_term=.b6263a87440d • Killing TIME: Requiem for an Empire, via Josh Quittner: https://medium.com/@twittner/killing-time-1362ca01e9f3