Arena Group’s Ad Revenue Dependency Shrinks as 2025 Revenue Rises
The Arena Group posted full‑year 2025 revenue of $134.8 million, up from $125.9 million in 2024, driven by expanding non‑advertising streams. Advertising now accounts for 64% of revenue, down from 74% a year earlier, as the company pushes video, syndication and performance‑marketing earnings. Gross margin improved to 50.7% and adjusted EBITDA rose to $51.5 million, reflecting a higher‑margin business model. Despite the revenue lift, fourth‑quarter results slipped and the stock fell more than 4% after hours.
Future, Ziff Davis to Struggle Most From Traffic Drops
Google’s AI‑driven Overview feature has slashed organic traffic for major tech publishers, with drops ranging from 30% to over 90% according to Growtika’s Ahrefs analysis. Ziff Davis and Future, which own several of the hardest‑hit sites, saw affiliate and advertising...
Emerald Reports Higher Revenue but Growth Lags Peers
Emerald Holding posted 2025 revenue of $463.4 million, up modestly from the prior year, but organic growth slowed to 1.1% and the company recorded a $30.7 million net loss. Acquisitions added 4.8% to revenue, while dividends consumed a third of free cash...
Informa Boss Relaxed on Middle East Uncertainty as Q2 Events Rescheduled to Q4
Informa posted 2025 results showing revenue of £4 billion, up 13.7% year‑on‑year, and adjusted operating profit of £1.1 billion. CEO Stephen A. Carter said the Iran‑related war will have limited impact, having moved six Q2 events to Q4 and securing the LEAP...
Informa TechTarget Promises Growth; EBITDA Higher Amid Goodwill Loss
Informa TechTarget, the 2024 merger of Informa and TechTarget, reported full‑year revenue of $486.8 million and an adjusted EBITDA of $87.3 million for 2025, surpassing its $85 million guidance. The company projected 2026 adjusted EBITDA between $95 million and $100 million, signaling a return to...
Daily Mail Publisher Bundles Brands Into ‘Stack’ B2B2C Offer
DMG Media has introduced Stack, a B2B2C bundle that gives partners access to DailyMail+, The i Paper and New Scientist at heavily discounted rates. The seat‑based pricing starts at £2.99 per month for under 10,000 users and drops to £1.99...
Operators Love CEO Products: How’s That Going?
Major media publishers such as The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and The Economist are launching high‑priced C‑suite membership programs that combine exclusive events, networking, and concierge services. These offerings aim to address CEOs' isolation and rapid disruption from geopolitics and...
Emerald’s MJBizCon’s Evolution Amid Industry Overhaul
Emerald Holding acquired MJBiz, the premier cannabis B2B event, for $120 million in 2022, betting on a booming market. Since the purchase, exhibitor numbers have slumped from roughly 1,400 to 557 and attendance data has become opaque, reflecting a broader industry...
AI in Practice: SISO CEO Summit to Explore What’s Actually Happening
The SISO CEO Summit convenes March 9‑12 at Kiawah Island, South Carolina, under the theme “Innovation in Action,” shifting focus from AI hype to concrete implementation. Attendees—C‑level leaders from trade shows, media groups, and suppliers—will explore evolving KPIs, AI‑driven M&A...
Axel Springer Buys B2B Real Estate Media Co. Bisnow: Exclusive
Axel Springer announced the acquisition of Bisnow, a B2B commercial‑real‑estate media and events firm, and created a new Brew Media Group to oversee the deal. The unit will be led by Robert Dippell, CEO of Morning Brew, while Bisnow and...
How Skittle Media, an Unexpected Events Company, Is Using Video to Stand Out in Its Niche
Skittle Media, founded in 2024 by Richard and Clare Springham, has carved a profitable niche in pharma‑focused B2B media by concentrating exclusively on paid advertising. The company’s flagship brand, Solli, delivers daily news, thought leadership and on‑demand professional‑development lessons, attracting...
USA Today Co. Reports Drop in FY 2025 Revenue; Expects Flat to Down 2026
USA Today Co. posted a fourth‑quarter revenue of $585 million, a 5.8% year‑over‑year decline, and its full‑year 2025 revenue fell to $2.3 billion. Digital‑only subscriptions plunged 30% to 1.37 million, while average monthly unique visitors slipped 11% to 179 million. The company recorded a...
Digital Revenue for Events Companies: Must-Have or Distraction?
Questex now derives roughly 30% of its earnings from digital media extensions such as product catalogs, RFID lead tools and post‑show webinars. Industry leaders are split: some, like Events Venture Group’s Marco Giberti, argue digital revenue must climb to 10‑25%...
Ziff Davis Sees Big Hit to Affiliate Revenue in Q4
Ziff Davis reported Q4 2025 revenue of $406.7 million, a modest 1.5% decline, as affiliate commerce commissions fell $25 million, half of which occurred in the quarter. Tech and shopping segments saw revenues drop 18‑19% year‑over‑year, driving a 14% share plunge....
The Post-Scale Media Model Is Taking Shape in Gaming Journalism
Gaming journalism is pivoting from large, ad‑driven operations to lean, subscription‑focused models. Mothership reached 2,000 paying subscribers within a week of launch, while worker‑owned sites like Jank and Aftermath are gaining traction with modest fees. The contraction of legacy outlets...
NY Mag Deploys Scarcity in Dior-Sponsored Limited Run Book
New York Magazine quietly mailed a limited‑run, Dior‑sponsored book titled “The Parisian Man” to a select group of about 20,000 subscribers in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The digest‑size publication, featuring portraits of 40 French men, is not for sale and was...
Axios Could Save Millions with AI
Axios CTO Dan Cox reports that AI‑driven “agent teams” compressed a three‑week engineering project into just 37 minutes, prompting a rapid productivity surge. The company trimmed its product and tech staff from 63 to 43, saving millions in salaries while...
Audience Engagement Metrics Drive B2B Media Co. As It Makes M&A Moves
Connect Media has acquired Networld Media Group, adding nine news platforms and nine live events to its portfolio and expanding its reach to roughly 1.1 million users. The company’s focus on loyalty‑based audience metrics and snackable content drove a 24% engagement...
Publishing Giant People Inc. Makes Events Core Pillar of Business
People Inc., the publisher behind Travel + Leisure and Food & Wine, is elevating live experiences to a core growth pillar. The company has slated more than 60 events for 2026, including its first major consumer celebration for the United...
Lee Touts Digital Subscriptions Strategy as Subscribers Churn; Co. Gets Debt Reprieve
Lee Enterprises reported a 10% drop in total operating revenue to $130 million for Q4 2025, while digital subscription revenue grew 5% to $22.7 million. Despite the revenue boost, the company’s digital‑only subscriber base shrank from 728,000 in March to 609,000 by year‑end,...
Tangle Growth Slows as News Fatigue, Economy Weigh on Conversions
Tangle, a nonpartisan political newsletter, posted flat annual recurring revenue after a period of rapid expansion, as converting free readers to paid subscribers slowed. The outlet now has about 460,000 daily newsletter subscribers, 71,000 of whom pay, and a Sunday...
Social-First Publisher LADbible Group Touts Growth in Direct US Sales as Web Traffic Dwindles
LADbible Group reported a 7% rise in total revenue to £92.2 million, driven by a 29% jump in U.S. direct sales, which now represent £18.6 million of its earnings. Direct revenue grew to 54% of the mix, up from 51% a year...
Data, Subscription, Events: The Media Model Driving M&A
Investors are targeting B2B media firms that combine proprietary data, subscription revenue, and live events, a hybrid model seen as AI‑proof and resilient. Recent deals include Bridgepoint’s minority stake in Exile Group, Montgomery’s acquisition of Halldale, and DVV Media’s split...
