Guardian News and Media bosses today told journalists that digital is now their main priority \u2013 ahead of the print edition.<\/p>\n
The historic shift will see The Guardian become a \u201cdigital-first\u201d organisation, staff were told today, meaning that investment and effort is to be focused on digital rather than print.<\/p>\n
Digital currently contributes around \u00a335m to \u00a340m a year out of Guardian News and Media\u2019s \u00a3221m turnover (2009\/2010 figures).<\/p>\n
Press Gazette understands that GNM wants to double that contribution in the next five years. Last year GNM made an operating loss of \u00a337.8m.<\/p>\n
Print currently contributes the majority of GNM\u2019s income, but sales have been declining sharply: last month circulation of The Guardian dropped 12.5 per cent year on year to 262,937 whereas The Observer was down 13.9 per cent to 293,053.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s announcement underlines the fact that GNM sees that decline as inexorable \u2013 whereas digital revenue and readership is growing. In April, Guardian.co.uk attracted 2.4m unique users a day according to ABC, up 31 per cent year on year.<\/p>\n
In briefings to staff today, Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger said GNM would \u201cmove beyond the newspaper, shifting focus, effort and investment towards digital, because that is our future\u201d.<\/p>\n
While print is said to remain \u201ccritical\u201d to GNM, the new strategy will see more investment in digital intiatives, such as the new US operation and mobile.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s announcement underlines The Guardian\u2019s commitment to an \u201copen\u201d journalism model, which sees the newspaper networked and linked with the rest of the web. And it means that its journalism will remain free to read online.<\/p>\n
It means the print edition will include less ‘news’ and more analysis.<\/p>\n
Rusbridger said: \u201cEvery newspaper is on a journey into some kind of digital future. That doesn\u2019t mean getting out of print, but it does require a greater focus of attention, imagination and resource on the various forms that digital future is likely to take.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Guardian has consistently led the way on digital innovation and is currently showing year on year growth of 40 per cent [in audience]. We are expanding into America and continuing to pioneer what we call open journalism \u2013 editorial content which is collaborative, linked into and networked with the rest of the web.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will also be changing the printed Monday to Friday newspaper to take account of changing patterns of readership and advertising. Half our readers now read the paper in the evening: they get their breaking news from our website or on mobile\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cBy becoming a digital-first organisation we\u2019re taking the next natural step, one which we believe all newspapers will eventually have to take.\u201d<\/p>\n
GMG chief executive Andrew Miller said GNM planned to move to a \u201cdirect model\u201d \u2013 meaning more emphasis on subscribers when it comes to the print edition.<\/p>\n
He said that resources would be moved from print and reinvested in digital growth areas, and that there would also be investment in new brand marketing.<\/p>\n
Miller said: \u201cThe opportunities presented by the growth of digital media are immense. The Guardian\u2019s journalism has never been more widely read. However, the same forces driving opportunity in digital are creating challenges for newspaper publishers across the developed world, including GNM.<\/p>\n
\u201cCirculation and advertising revenues in print continue to fall throughout the sector as readers and advertisers embrace new technologies and digital platforms, and this is not a trend that\u2019s about to go into reverse.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to become a digital-first organisation, and are at the beginning of a process of transformation to achieve that. The quality of our journalism, our long-term outlook, the assets in GMG\u2019s portfolio, our unique ownership structure, our progressive approach to digital media and our fantastic people mean we can do this from a position of strength.<\/p>\n
\u201cInnovation of this kind is in the best traditions of the Scott Trust and will help us to fulfil our mission of securing the independence of the Guardian in perpetuity.\u201d<\/p>\n
via Guardian says digital – not print – now its priority – Press Gazette<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Guardian News and Media bosses today told journalists that digital is now their main priority \u2013 ahead of the print edition. The historic shift will see The Guardian become a \u201cdigital-first\u201d organisation, staff were told today, meaning that investment and effort is to be focused on digital rather than print. Digital currently contributes around \u00a335m … Continue reading Guardian says digital – not print – now its priority<\/span>