Recent Posts
News•Feb 26, 2026
The New York Times Is Adding Another Daily Crossword, because Why Not
The New York Times introduced a new subscriber‑only "Midi" crossword, a 9×9 puzzle that sits between its Mini (5×5) and Daily (15×15) offerings. The move expands the Times Games portfolio, which already serves over one million games‑only subscribers and generates roughly $50 million in annual revenue. Crossword construction costs are modest—about $500 per puzzle—meaning the Midi adds minimal expense while potentially increasing daily engagement. By filling the gap between speed and full‑size puzzles, the Midi aims to deepen habit formation and support the Times’ broader subscription strategy.
By Nieman Lab
News•Feb 26, 2026
“Same Values, Same Mission, Same Ethics”: How the Houston Chronicle Chooses Creators to Work With
The Houston Chronicle is testing creator collaborations, beginning with food‑video creator Shawn Singh, to drive newsletter sign‑ups, pay‑wall subscriptions and social follows. Success is measured both by hard metrics and by the willingness to experiment and adopt a creator mindset....
By Nieman Lab
News•Feb 25, 2026
The Baltimore Beat Experiments with Pay-What-You-Can Ads
Baltimore Beat, a nonprofit news outlet, is introducing pay‑what‑you‑can advertising options. The tiered pricing lets mom‑and‑pop shops pay $50, brick‑and‑mortar stores $150, and larger investors $300 per ad. The paper, which distributes 20,000 free print copies twice a month and...
By Nieman Lab
News•Feb 25, 2026
Why “Magic Links” And Passcodes Are Taking over News Logins
News publishers are increasingly replacing passwords with email‑based magic links or one‑time passcodes. Small‑scale outlets using platforms like Ghost, Substack, and Beehiiv cite reduced security overhead and faster onboarding as primary benefits. Industry voices argue that magic links combat password...
By Nieman Lab
News•Feb 23, 2026
Is The New York Times a Games Company? A Familiar Debate Continues
The New York Times now has more bundle subscribers than those who pay for news‑only, reflecting a strategic shift toward ancillary products such as Wordle, cooking guides, and The Athletic. The company has stopped offering a pure news subscription to new customers,...
By Nieman Lab
News•Feb 23, 2026
Bostopia’s Evan George Serves Boston Daily News From a Lefty Perspective
Boston native Evan George has built a daily news brand, Bostopia, delivering Boston headlines in 60‑second TikTok videos. Leveraging his background in political organizing and a graduate education in sociology, he walks the city, cites local journalists, and adds a...
By Nieman Lab
News•Feb 19, 2026
Is It Hypocritical for News Publishers to Complain About Tech Companies’ Platforms — but Still Be on Them?
Academic research by Rasmus Kleis Nielsen argues that news publishers continue to rely on tech platforms despite vocal criticism because audience reach and incremental revenue outweigh the desire for platform independence. The study cites that only about 4 % of traffic...
By Nieman Lab
News•Feb 9, 2026
Last Year, Illinois Started Giving Local News Outlets Tax Credits to Support Journalism Jobs. A New Report Looks at How...
Illinois launched the nation’s first refundable tax credit program for local journalism, awarding over $4 million in 2025 to sustain more than 260 journalist positions across 55 news outlets. The initiative split funding between an existing‑job credit of $15,000 per journalist...
By Nieman Lab