Profitable Local News. How Lookout Local’s Doing It
Lookout Local, launched in Santa Cruz during the pandemic, is on track to become profitable this year and has expanded to Eugene‑Springfield, Oregon. The outlet relies on a hybrid revenue model—about 60% advertising and 40% membership—supported by over 40 local marketing partners per market and deal sizes of $1,500‑$6,000. Audience reach hits 300,000 monthly visitors, covering 60% of Santa Cruz adults and 40% of Lane County residents. Founder Ken Doctor plans to replicate the model in three additional West Coast cities by 2028.
Questex Used AI Agents to Close $1 Million in 90 Days
Questex, a B2B media and events firm, piloted two AI sales agents—Alice for outbound prospecting and Julian for inbound lead handling—over three months, generating over $1 million each in pipeline and closed revenue. Julian’s two‑minute call response boosted inbound meeting conversion...
ProPublica Is Packaging Investigations for the Spotify Era
ProPublica launched the investigative podcast Paper Trail on May 14, repackaging existing reporting into weekly 45‑minute audio episodes to reach younger, more diverse listeners. Backed by roughly $61 million in 2024 donations and an $18.5 million surplus, the nonprofit can fund the...
Reuters Sees ‘Very, Very Strong’ Paid Subscriber Sign-Ups Amid Iran War
Reuters reports "very, very strong" paid subscriber growth since the U.S. strikes on Iran, driven by its low‑price digital subscription ($4 a month or $45 a year). The paywall, launched in the U.S. in October 2024, now operates in 58...
MarketBeat Slashed Millions of Emails, Dropped Prices and Revenue’s Rising
MarketBeat has dramatically trimmed its email list from a peak of 6.2 million to 3.6 million, prioritizing engaged readers as inbox providers tighten standards. The company cut its annual subscription fee to $249 from $399 amid stagnant premium subscriber numbers and growing...
Arena Group Revenue Plummets as Traffic Declines
The Arena Group posted a steep Q1 revenue decline, dropping 37% to $20 million as traffic fell. Digital advertising revenue nearly halved to $11.3 million, while print ad sales modestly rose 26% to $260 k. Gross margin contracted to 34.8% and adjusted EBITDA...
Apollo Funds to Acquire Emerald and Questex, Combine Companies
Apollo’s private‑equity funds have agreed to acquire Emerald Holding in an all‑cash deal valuing the company at roughly $1.5 billion, with shareholders receiving $5.03 per share, a 42.1% premium. The transaction also brings Questex into the fold, though its purchase price...
RocaNews to Launch Sports Video Vertical as YouTube Channel Thrives
RocaNews, the Gen Z‑focused media startup, is launching a dedicated sports video vertical after its flagship YouTube channel surged from 139,000 to over 780,000 subscribers in a year. The company, now profitable with revenue split between programmatic ads, sponsorships and...
Ziff Davis’s Struggles Ongoing as M&A Questions Linger
Ziff Davis posted a modest revenue decline to $267.6 million and a sharp drop in operating income to $2.9 million, while net cash from operations rose 45% to $30 million. CEO Vivek Shah highlighted an AI‑centric product roadmap, off‑platform video growth and an...
Informa TechTarget Losses Continue as Growth Inches Higher
Informa TechTarget posted Q1 revenue of $106 million, up 2.1% year‑over‑year, but its net loss deepened to $70.8 million, a 66.7% loss margin. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $7.4 million, reflecting operating leverage from cost efficiencies and revenue growth. The Brand‑to‑Demand segment grew 4.7%...
Dow Jones Revenue Higher as News Corp. Threatens ‘Baleful Bad-Boy Bots’ Stealing Content
Dow Jones posted $619 million in revenue for the latest quarter, an 8% year‑over‑year increase driven by strong growth in Risk & Compliance, Energy and digital advertising. Total subscriptions climbed 7% to over 6.5 million, with digital‑only WSJ subscriptions up 11% to...
BuzzFeed (Still Exists) Missed a Debt Payment, Could Default
BuzzFeed missed a $5 million debt payment and secured an extension until May 18. Lenders waived existing defaults but added a covenant requiring at least $7.5 million in liquidity and directing proceeds from asset sales or equity issuances to debt repayment. Failure to...
NYT Subs Surpass 13 Million, ARPU Sneaks Higher
The New York Times reported 13.08 million total subscribers in Q1, a 2.3% increase, with digital‑only subscriptions driving most of the growth. Digital‑only revenue rose 16.1% year‑over‑year, while print revenue slipped 9.8%, pushing overall revenue up 17.3% to $712 million. Average revenue per user...
The Business Case for Giving First-Time Exhibitors a Room of Their Own
Stimulate, the Nashville‑based B2B sexual‑wellness trade show, has created an "Emerging Brand Room" exclusively for first‑time exhibitors, guaranteeing them a dedicated showcase. The program pairs newcomers with mentors—including CVS wellness leaders—and offers pre‑show webinars to accelerate market entry. In its...
Tea, Housing, Memberships: People Inc.’s Future Businesses Run the Gamut
People Inc., formerly IAC, rebranded to People Interactive and unveiled 19 "Inversion" projects that push the company beyond traditional publishing. Initiatives range from Southern Living‑branded tea and a potential housing community to membership clubs and a social‑shopping platform. Digital revenue...