The Future of Media, Explained - from Press Gazette

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114

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

Press Gazette has covered the world of news media since 1965. This podcast draws on the expertise of our award-winning team and brings in expert voices to explain one theme, idea, strategy or innovation every week. The Future of Media Explained aims to provide industry leaders with the information they need to create commercially successful businesses based on quality content. If you need to know about topics like: cookie-less targeting, data journalism, paywall strategies, content management systems, new publishing revenue strategies and audience growth tactics - then this is the podcast for you. It also aims to provide insight into the biggest challenge of all, how to lead and inspire people on the journey of technology-led change which ever major media company globally is going through. It is hosted by Press Gazette Editor-in-chief Dominic Ponsford who is joined every week by a member of the team sharing insights from their area of expertise and featuring interviews with some of the leading names in media globally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 3, 202630 min

Thai police jokester drags down UK press standards

In the latest edition, Dominic Ponsford and Charlotte Tobitt talk about the latest changes to Google search. Agentic search will probably stay niche, but forcing AI mode into conventional search queries is a new threat to publisher referral traffic. They also discuss the publishing dilemma du jour - should publishers block LLMs or do all they can to optimise content to show up in ChatGPT-style answers? And publishers in the UK and US have been caught out by another AI-generated hoax. What can we learn from the curious case of the 'LADYBOYS IN BLUE' - the Thai police officers who didn't dress as carnival dancers to carry out an undercover drug dealer arrest? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 21, 202637 min

Better call Louis: Lawyer to press victims tells all

Media lawyer Louis Charalambous represented victims of some of worst lapses in press standards during the 2000s. He went on to represent newspapers in libel battles against a violent gangster, 'wife beating' Hollywood star and others. He says press standards have improved, times are hard for both claimants and publishers and explains why Prince Harry's colossal privacy claim against Associated Newspapers is looking a bit iffy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 7, 202633 min

The Axios shift from volume to value

Axios dropped its output by almost a quarter but increased page views by almost a third at the start of 2026.Head of news Ben Berkowitz told Press Gazette UK editor Charlotte Tobitt about why they stopped chasing clicks and started focusing on stories that "actually matter".Berkowitz also shared his advice for other newsroom leaders going through a similar strategy change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 23, 202627 min

Less is more at The Times, Standard's long decline and future of The Telegraph

Dominic Ponsford and Charlotte Tobitt discuss what led The Standard to where it is today, with just 16 staff left to create the weekly print title after a digital takeover by Independent Media.They also cover why less is more at The Times, and the future of The Telegraph after almost three years in limbo as Axel Springer received government approval for the takeover. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 2, 202627 min

How Wall Street Journal supercharged online subs growth

Since former Sunday Times editor Emma Tucker moved to New York to head up the Wall Street Journal, online subs are up 30% to 4.3 million.Charlotte Tobitt explains why tough choices have worked out for the world's most popular financial news brand.Is it ever possible to keep sources secret in the today's surveillance age? The Guardian may have cracked this problem and is sharing it with the world.And Dominic Ponsford reveals how Press Gazette came under attack from black hat SEO operatives trying to silence reporting about the darker side of the SEO industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

March 19, 202638 min

Tech transformation at ADWEEK with Mike Beyman

ADWEEK chief strategy officer Mike Beyman talks AI, tech transformation and new forms of advertising for publishers with Press Gazette editor in chief Dominic Ponsford. This episode was sponsored by WordPress VIP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

February 26, 202628 min

Reporting Andrew arrest, robot reporters at Mediahuis and Dom's verdict on Prince Harry trial

Dominic Ponsford and Charlotte Tobitt talk about how journalists broke news of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest and why they named him despite the privacy risk.They also discuss a plan by Mediahuis to cover "first-line" news with AI agents, and Dom gives his (somewhat premature) verdict on the Prince Harry and others versus Associated Newspapers privacy trial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

February 13, 202636 min

Quality not discounts: How The Atlantic is powering subscriber growth

Atlantic Media’s chief growth officer Megha Garibaldi explained how the next phase of growth for the title needs a focus on “quality traffic” as referral sources decline across news media.Also joining the discussion with Press Gazette editor-in-chief Dominic Ponsford was specialist media management consultant Graham Page of Q5.The Atlantic already has more than 1.4 million subscribers but Garibaldi sees plenty of scope for more growth. She also stressed that strong journalism remains the foundation of subscription growth, rather than deep discounting.Q5 head of media Graham Page highlighted the importance of publishers having cross-functional teams spanning editorial, product and commercial departments, unified around clear leadership priorities and metrics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

January 29, 202649 min

Ben Smith on building a $40m turnover news business in three years

Media start-up Semafor reached profitability in 2025 with revenue of $40m, in the third full year after its October 2022 launch.Co-founder and editor-in-chief Ben Smith joined Press Gazette’s UK editor Charlotte Tobitt in London to discuss how the business became an overnight success in a difficult climate for media overall.Smith discussed Semafor’s expansion plans, why its initial bet on video didn’t work out, why it still doesn’t have a paywall, and shared his advice for other media business founders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

January 15, 202625 min

Prince Harry versus tabloids: The final showdown

Prince Harry is facing the publisher of the Daily Mail in what is set to be one Britain's biggest ever privacy trials.Costs for both sides could top £40m.Harry has accused the Mail of commissioning burglary, phone tapping and voicemail interception. The Mail denies everything and accuses Prince Harry's legal team of using cash payments to witnesses to bolster their case.Dominic Ponsford looks back to the News of the World front page in 2008 which started the war on UK tabloids which has raged since then.He also discusses the questionable evidence-gathering tactics which the Daily Mail believes undermine Prince Harry's Case and explains why the backing of co-claimant Elton John means this final legal battle is set to go the distance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.