Overview of this campaign

Founded in 1989, Gazeta Wyborcza is Poland’s largest and most influential daily newspaper. From the start, it built a network of local correspondents to provide a full picture of Poland, crucial during the country’s transformation. It became a trusted guide for readers, not just in the capital but nationwide.

Local correspondents evolved into over 30 regional editorial offices. In the 1990s, Gazeta Wyborcza benefited from booming advertising budgets, leading to rapid expansion—more cities, more journalists, and more print pages.

With the digital revolution, results declined. Smaller local offices closed, staff was reduced, and print pages decreased. Despite minor adjustments, a clear strategy was missing—defend shrinking ad revenues, boost page views, or focus on a subscription model with high-quality journalism?

We chose the last option.

Local newsroom transformation goals (2023-2024)

I. Reducing Published Articles – Tackling the “Long Tail”

• Short articles (under 1,500 characters) made up over 20% of local content but generated only 10% of views and 3% of subscriptions.
• Many contained information available for free (e.g., police or city websites).
• Eliminating them let journalists focus on unique, high-quality, investigative stories (URANHE model: Unique, Reliable, Attractive, Notable, High-Quality, Engaging).

II. Strengthening Local Journalism with Nationwide Appeal

• Prioritizing in-depth regional reports for broader readership, increasing homepage visibility, and attracting more subscribers.

III. Streamlining an Expensive Print Process

• Reducing 10+ print editions and 20+ local weeklies, often with small circulations.

These changes ensure a sustainable future for Gazeta Wyborcza’s local journalism while maintaining its commitment to quality reporting.

Results for this campaign

The project was implemented in stages between 2023 and 2024. Its preparation and execution involved local newsroom leadership, newsroom heads in major cities, the editor-in-chief, and the company’s board.

We ensured clear communication about the objectives, organized remote and in-person meetings, and provided training sessions. Daily and weekly editorial meetings evolved, fostering closer collaboration between newsrooms.

A fundamental shift in work approach was necessary, as short, non-unique, often created almost automatically, articles had been a significant part of content production. Eliminating these weaker texts was crucial because they:

• Did not sufficiently engage readers.
• Took up space that could be used for more compelling content.
• Added unnecessary editorial costs.

The transition was successfully completed.

Key Results:

• 57% reduction in the number of published articles (2024 vs. 2022).
• 195% increase in conversion rates (number of subscriptions per article, 2024 vs. 2022).
• 9% increase in visits (2024 vs. 2022). Notably, the 2023 results were even stronger due to heightened interest in parliamentary elections.
• Restoring the role of local correspondents – an increase in unique content produced by local newsroom reporters, prominently featured on the homepage and appealing to readers nationwide. Investigative reports and watchdog journalism became best-selling content in Gazeta Wyborcza.
• Creation of the national Newsroom24, producing urgent news briefs. This shift moved away from isolated local newsrooms toward collaborative reporting, allowing journalists and editors more time to develop exclusive content.
• Streamlining the print edition of Gazeta Wyborcza – maintaining local pages for major cities (reducing daily editions from 11 to 3), cutting the number of local weekly newspapers from 20 to 8, and launching the national weekly Prosto z Polski, featuring stories from across the country.

These changes have strengthened Gazeta Wyborcza’s local journalism while increasing engagement, efficiency, and subscription growth.

Contact

To contact a company representative about this campaign, click here for the INMA Member Directory