Mediahuis CEO Gert Ysebaert in conversation

What have been the growth/encouragement areas for you in your media company in 2024?

We achieved significant growth in the number of digital subscribers, enabling us to largely offset the decline in print subscriptions driven by shifting consumer behavior toward digital formats. Today, more than half of all Mediahuis subscribers engage with our content digitally or through a combination of print and digital.

Our focus moving forward is on increasing the value of a digital subscription. We aim to evolve our subscriptions into "essential subscriptions" that become indispensable to consumers. This involves delivering independent and distinctive journalism, providing valuable service journalism, and enhancing the offering with additional services like the RouteYou walking app, puzzles, e-books, and more.

Approximately 30% of our news business revenue comes from advertising, while 70% comes from reader revenue, including both subscriptions, single-copy sales and e-commerce.

Is A.I. having a major impact on your business? In what ways?

It is transforming how news is produced, distributed, and consumed. It's crucial that we embrace this change and leverage AI to our advantage. Generative AI can handle repetitive tasks in the newsroom, such as creating routine content like sports results or weather forecasts. AI-powered tools also assist journalists in writing, editing, researching articles, and analyzing large datasets, which frees up time for more in-depth and investigative journalism.

In the long term, AI will be a disruptive force for our industry. A new user experience in search will emerge, impacting how people consume news. The biggest challenge will be navigating relationships with both established and new players who control this AI technology. Securing copyright for our original content remains a priority to ensure our investment in high-quality journalism is protected.

How is your relationship with the big tech platforms?

Our relationship with the big tech platforms is complex. While these platforms are important for reaching audiences and distributing our content, they are also our biggest competitors in the advertising market. Ensuring a level playing field in this domain is essential to maintaining fair competition.

We place great importance on the protection of our copyright and the recognition of the vital role quality journalism plays in society. Safeguarding the value of our content and the integrity of journalism remains a priority in all our dealings with tech players. Striking the right balance between collaboration and safeguarding our interests is an ongoing effort, and we approach this relationship with careful consideration.

Can you share any innovative strategies your organization is implementing?

A key part of our strategy is the strong commitment to building a unified technology landscape across our group. By consolidating our tech platforms and tools across all our countries, entities and brands, we’re creating a more efficient and scalable environment that supports innovation across the group. This unified approach enhances our ability to innovate, focusing on creating a personalized news experience for readers across different regions and brands. By committing to one technology landscape, we are setting the foundation for an innovative and adaptable media organization that can respond to the changes in an evolving industry.

Are subscriptions the panacea for future reader involvement/monetization?

Subscriptions are indeed central to our business model and vital for our future growth. As digital subscriptions become increasingly important, they need to offset the gradual decline in print. To achieve this, we are focused on enhancing the value of our subscriptions, while also working to engage younger future audience.

However, advertising continues to play a critical role alongside subscriptions. Our news brands provide advertisers with a premium environment, featuring trusted, high-quality content that resonates with an interesting and engaged audience.

We also recognize that not every reader will subscribe, and it's essential to have a strategy for monetizing the time and attention of those who prefer free content. For these readers, we’ll maintain a free model, although this approach may vary across different news titles.

What are the key elements of building a strong brand in today's market?

Building a strong news brand today starts with independent, reliable journalism, what we at Mediahuis refer to as "signature journalism."

Signature journalism means that our journalism needs to be increasingly distinctive. Our reporting should stand out by asking the right questions and adding unique information that aligns with each brand's identity and tone of voice. We strive for journalism that is trustworthy and locally relevant, offering a unique perspective that sets us apart from the flood of generic news available elsewhere.

What differences do you see in media consumption across various areas/regions you operate in?

While trends in news consumption are broadly similar across the regions we operate in, such as the shift from print to digital and the impact of AI and evolving consumer behavior, we do see some differences in the pace and nature of these changes.

For instance, the Dutch market is further along in digital transformation compared to the German market, where the transition has been slower. Similarly, in Ireland and the UK, print subscriptions were rare until a few years ago, creating a unique dynamic in these regions compared to markets where subscription-based business models have traditionally been strong. These differences in market development influence our approach, allowing us to tailor our strategies to meet the specific needs and behaviours of each market.

What is your overall view of the state of the advertising market?

Despite the decline in print advertising revenue, news media continue to hold a strong position in the advertising market. Advertisers value the unique, reliable, and safe environment that our news brands provide. To meet advertiser demands more effectively in a rapidly evolving market, we are focusing on building a strong and competitive digital offering, with particular emphasis on maximizing the collection and use of first-party data.

In response to pressure from international players, we are forming strategic alliances within local markets. These collaborations enhance our capabilities in data and bolster our competitive position against the dominance of big tech. Additionally, we have significantly invested in radio, a sector that continues to perform well in terms of advertising spending. By acquiring key radio stations in the Netherlands, we have further strengthened our position in the Dutch advertising market.

Are podcasts in your wheelhouse? Successful?

Podcasts are a valuable and important channel for our journalism, enabling us to connect with a broader and younger audience. We have already committed significant resources to developing this channel and will continue to significantly invest in its growth in the coming years. Monetizing podcasts, however, remains a complex challenge. Our primary strategy revolves around generating advertising revenue. At the same time, we are actively exploring how to integrate podcasts into a subscription model, enhancing their value as part of a bundled offering for our subscribers.

How do you envision the media landscape evolving over the next decade? What role will traditional media play in this future?

I foresee multiple scenarios for the future of news media, and it will be essential to be prepared for each. Strong, independent journalism will always have a crucial role to play. In a fragmented media landscape, where news reaches audiences through social media, influencers, and other channels, established independent news outlets can stand out by ensuring the delivery of accurate and trustworthy information. The key challenge for news media in the coming years will be to maintain this strong position. This will require further consolidation to secure a sustainable future, particularly for smaller, local news brands.

Challenges and Opportunities.

I see the news media industry facing three major challenges.

First of all, the growing polarisation in society, which makes delivering balanced and trustworthy journalism more critical—and more complex—than ever. Second, reaching younger audiences is a pressing concern. How do we reconnect with these demographics, and equally important, how do we convince them to pay for our journalism? Third, the rise of AI presents both an opportunity and a threat. While we are already leveraging AI effectively in our newsrooms and operations, we must acknowledge the potential disruption posed by large language model (LLM) companies aiming to become dominant consumer destinations. It is crucial for news media to proactively position themselves and prepare for all possible scenarios.

That said, these challenges can also become opportunities if approached strategically. By continually fostering “trust,” our news brands can differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded media landscape. Successfully engaging younger audiences will allow us to expand and diversify our readership base. Finally, AI, despite its challenges, also offers significant potential to enhance our workflows by automating repetitive tasks or improving personalization for readers. If harnessed thoughtfully, AI could become a key driver of innovation and growth for the industry.

More about Mark Challinor: Mark is a commercial and media advertising strategist. He recently led the International News Media Association’s (INMA.org) Advertising Initiative (the news industry’s deeper dive into media advertising). He has also been European and global president of INMA. He produces a monthly Future of Media Advertising newsletter on Linkedin, as well as running an advertising committee made up of senior executives from across the world’s media. Mark is now CEO of News Media UK Consulting. Follow Mark on X: @challinor and LinkedIn.

Last week, we met with ​Africa Community Media’s Sandy Naude. You can catch up on the News Horizons hub.