In days gone by, media was synonymous with a crisp morning paper and the aroma of ink. “Hot off the press” is still a common phrase for fresh news. Of course, this world has changed dramatically. The main source of revenue was paper sales and ads. This process was a staple of modern society and provided a focal point of news. The next revolution came in the form of the television, as media now became available at home. Instead of running down to the local store to pick up today’s newspaper, one simply had to tune into the morning and evening news bulletins.

Finally, the introduction of the internet has opened up new and exciting ways for the media to reach their target audience. Such is the nature of the medium that new and innovative measures have been made available to both the consumer and media corporations. The media conglomerates have benefited from a new wave of revenue, which explained further with four real-life examples.

CNN

A TV-based business model

Perhaps one of the most famous brands within the media industry, CNN is famous for its comprehensive coverage of international and American events. Of late, the network has been criticized for its political bias. However, that has not stopped the global powerhouse from obtaining a tremendous amount of market share within the international news and media market. In terms of revenue, CNN has developed a multi-layered stream that caters to its consumers around the globe. The CNN network achieves most of its revenue from the sale of television rights, as television organizations around the globe see its presence on cable and satellite packages as a drawcard.

Apps to help the growth

CNN has also made an attempt to keep up with the trends of the day, as they seek to enlarge their online presence through alternative media streams that differ from the traditional pen, paper, and television. Currently the CNN App is available on almost every mobile device. Its user-friendly design is primed to allow users to stay in the loop with current news events, both domestic and international. This has been developed as a new stream of revenue, as it serves to attract a market that is consistently connected to the web instead of a television screen or bookstore. They derive their revenue from advertising, as the attraction of traffic is a useful marketing tool for other entities.

CNN has introduced a new web-based forum that delivers content specially designed for high school age groups. Thus, the network has developed a user-friendly platform that is geared towards deriving future growth. Interestingly, the company seems to be willing to run the platform at a loss, as there are no adverts or other means of achieving an income. It seems to be an investment for the long run.

The development of a website that is linked with all the major social media sites is also a strategic segment of CNN’s business model. The idea is simple: draw enough traffic to the CNN website and achieve revenue from the advertising.

The Guardian

From ad-driven philosophy to the reader contribution model 

A well-trusted media source that attempts to cater to the newsfeed needs of society, The Guardian has lived through the advent of both television-based media and the current online craze. As such, it seeks to engage with its consumers in increasingly meaningful ways. The Guardian has changed its revenue strategy and succeeded in building a new business model, in which reader revenue from web and print subscriptions surpasses that of ad revenue. The Guardian was primarily ad-driven and wasn’t very open for a paywall model because of the belief journalism should be widely accessible. Now, half of the revenue comes from advertising, one-third from individual contributions and the rest from philanthropic donations. Advertising continues to grow, driven by programmatic and native ads, but reader revenue is expected to surpass advertising in the next several months.

Customized apps: Looking for niches

The Guardian business development strategy includes opening up for new target groups and new activities and support them with dedicated web and mobile applications.
An example of this kind of approach was The Guardian Soulmates platform. Soulmates app was an online dating web application with a mobile app version. Our Espeo developers had a pleasure to work with The Guardian colleagues on creating this application. The Guardian’s goal while building the Soulmates application was to extend brand awareness and increase its profits.

Lately, The Guardian has also developed, in partnership with Espeo, a dedicated web application that provides teachers with key information, such as finding lesson plans, work schemes, presentations, student activities, and assessments. Espeo took on the responsibility of updating the platform, one that implemented larger storage and increased capacity for traffic. Moreover, as it enjoys a reputable brand that has stood the test of time, The Guardian also boasts a favorable presence within the social media sphere, as attractions such as football news often go viral. Again, this leads to increased traffic on the site and revenue derived from advertising organizations.

The Daily Wire

A Unique Content Approach

Alternative media that takes advantage of the information age, the Daily Wire is a nod to what can be achieved with successful e-marketing campaigns and the presence of unique content. The network leverages on the individual fame of its employees in order to create a focal point of conservative media. Staying true to its new and edgy feel, the Daily Wire’s business model is also in tune with the demands of the current day. Weekly podcasts are offered by at least three of the more famous representatives, drawing a tremendous amount of following from individuals tuning in with the use of mobile devices. Moreover, they obtain revenue from advertising from within the content.

Personal brands and viral marketing

Social media pages and channels have also been a core part of the Daily Wire’s business model. The company uses YouTube to target a younger demographic and the content is shared on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This is another stream of advertising-based revenue that is the result of drawing traffic to thought-provoking content.

As with most news outlets, the Daily Wire runs a video and article-based website that is designed to function with social media plugins and the strength of its brand. Interestingly, most of the traffic is derived from the strength of the personal brands of its employees and partners. The network has achieved a new and exciting revenue stream through viral marketing. This revolution is more conceptual in nature (as opposed to innovative tech) but the results of having employees act as promotional assets allows the business to perform well above its expected income. This can be seen in the link between Ben Shapiro’s Twitter account and the influx of traffic to the site.

ESPN

The Power of sport-based news

Despite the fact that the company is primarily involved in the live coverage of sports – American sports in particular – the company is a major stakeholder in the sports media market, as it is the host to a variety of sports-based coverage and news. Digital adverts make up a substantial proportion of the company’s multi-billion-dollar revenue stream, and this is derived mainly from news coverage. Therefore, it is safe to place ESPN within the media category, and its media-based revenue may be summarized thusly.

Mobile App and Live-streaming

ESPN uses a website as a focal point that provides updates of sports news by the minute. This encourages traffic and translates into revenue from advertising. Moreover, they also have a presence on social media, with many millions of followers on a variety of platforms. Advertising is also achieved through a mobile app.

ESPN has been voted the most innovative company in 2017, an achievement that is largely due to the way the network interacts with its online audience. Moreover, the company spent more than 1 billion dollars in order to add a live-streaming option to their list of subsidiaries. Thus, through a platform that encourages an online migration, the company continues to open an international client base with the acquisition of subscription-based revenue.

Media Apps and their impact

The internet is nearly endless in the number of possibilities it provides for a variety of industries. As media continue to move away from traditional paper-based revenue streams, the internet is turning into a haven for the distribution of media content. With the new and innovative ways to increase revenue, which seem to spring out of nowhere, one almost gets the sense that media have just scraped the surface of internet-based potential: perhaps the best is yet to come.