Combine this with news that the UK’s largest newspaper publisher, Reach plc which publishes more than 100 regional titles alongside the Mirror, Express and Star, is set to make widespread newsroom closures, Mail Online staff will return to the office for one week in three and the Guardian will keep staff working from home until at least September, the future of credible news media and PR editorial placement looks rather challenging. 

For Reach, moving staff to a more flexible office/home–based combination, with an emphasis on working from home is something its staff reportedly approve of, appreciating the time freed up by no commuting and being more productive away from the distractions of an open plan office. Journalists are also capitalising on this WFH opportunity to avoid phone ‘pitching’ with over two thirds (66%) saying they do not like receiving calls from PRs with story ideas. The old–school PR approach to networking and knowing your key journalist ‘contacts’ has never been more pertinent.  

Bloomsbery Media CEO, Justin B Smith, stated: 'Journalism media needs more ‘imagination, creativity and urgency’ to emerge from the Covid 19 crisis' as he outlined his business strategy to tackle a crisis that he described as leading to low quality public discourse from misinformation and polarising content models. Smith plans to diversify revenue streams, open specialised sub-brands and move to subscription based models, while providing flexible environments for staff to work.

The Telegraph is accelerating its subscription model which has seen its subscriber base surpass 600k and in a multi-million pound investment is now creating 60 newsroom jobs and a newsroom innovation team to meet its commercial objectives. The publisher is also said to be considering a new payment model that would reward the journalists who attract and retain the most subscribers and planning to introduce new digital production processes, ending the common practice of journalists self-publishing online.

This shake up at the Telegraph can be viewed as good news for PRs feeding media that is hungry for stories on a platform capable of continual updates and driving views. 

And as for the future of parenting media? 

It isn’t news that parents are often early adopters, quickly accepting social media and leading the charge into mainstream for organic foods and recyclable products. Similarly with parenting media we have seen an emergence of entrepreneurial brands, socially savvy connectors with clearly defined and articulated values, each coming to market presenting keen commercial opportunities. The old revenue models still peddled by the established brands are fast becoming irrelevant or only attainable by large, lazy brands looking for large, lazy reach numbers to impress large, la…

Picking through these new opportunities and working with the creative, entrepreneurial minds behind them is a breath of fresh air and an exciting turning point as our new world emerges.