10:00 a.m. - 10:05 a.m.
(New York time)

Welcome and introductions

Welcome to the town hall dedicated to distilling what INMA learned from its network of 22,000+ members about subscriptions in the past year.

10:05 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.
(New York time)

Briefing: What INMA has learned about subscriptions in 2024

The news cycle makes or breaks the news business. 2024 was a profound year for news and subscriptions. As predicted, elections and big sports events provided an engagement and subscription opportunity second to none. But how to manage demand when the news cycle is down? At the same time, social media platforms abandoned the news, and GenAI unhinged search engines for answer engines, and traffic to news sites became volatile. How to hedge against the algorithmic risks to media business, and grow direct traffic? What is the role of brands, publishers’ own platforms, bundling, and personalisation? And as publishers look ahead to 2025, what can be expected?

10:20 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
(New York time)

Panel discussion: Subscription lessons from 2024's major news events. What's next for 2025?

Join Katrice Hardy, Executive Editor of The Dallas Morning News, and Cliona Mooney, Group Data Analytics and Insights Director of The Irish Times Group for insights from a transformative year in news media. How did major events like the U.S. and Irish elections impact subscription strategies? We'll explore the evolving dynamics of audience engagement, including the challenge of serving diverse readerships in polarized times and competing with alternative news sources. Learn how these leaders approach the volume-versus-revenue growth question in their distinctive markets, and their strategic priorities for 2025.

11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
(New York time)

Keynote interview: The 5 promises of personalisation

While consumers want personalised experiences, few news media companies are rising to the challenge. In February in New York, participants of the INMA Media Subscriptions Summit voted personalisation as the biggest opportunity to grow news subscriptions. Drawing from his work as a marketer, consultant, and teacher, Harvard Business School’s David Edelman will discuss with INMA how personalisation leaders empower customers by understanding their needs, build trust through responsible data usage, reach customers through optimal channels, deliver AI-enabled tailored content, and create magical experiences through innovative operations. Join the discussion to strategise the AI and personalisation breakthrough for 2025.

11:30 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
(New York time)

Case study: Defining a winning subscription model with Zuora

Media firms face mounting pressure to innovate amid intense competition for audience attention and rapidly changing consumer habits. Three critical strategies have emerged as essential for success: implementing flexible subscription models to match evolving audience preferences, leveraging AI for enhanced digital experiences, and using data analytics to reduce subscriber churn. Hear from a guest expert from Zuora and their client a case study of a winning subscription model.

11:50 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
(New York time)

Briefing: Opportunities for growth beyond fake subscription ceilings

After so much publicity around the question of subscription ceilings for news media companies, INMA faced a quandary: This is not what our subscription benchmark service data was showing! Across a much-discussed keynote speech, a report, and numerous engagements, we laid out the growth case that is still unfurling. A median national news brand penetrated with their digital-only subscriptions less than 1% of households in their market! How do we get the remaining 99% to subscribe? INMA’s Greg Piechota aims to address these questions.

12:00 p.m. - 12:25 p.m.
(New York time)

Interview: What Schibsted learned about digital subscriptions in the past 20 years

Scandinavian media powerhouse Schibsted is widely recognised as a pioneer in digital transformation globally, particularly through their successful pivot to reader revenue in Norway and Sweden. In this exclusive interview, longtime subscriptions leader Tor Jacobsen will reflect on his and his company’s innovation journey from early experiments in 2000s to enjoying the world’s highest willingness to pay for online news in 2024. What did it take to become a readers-first company? What did they learn about consumers, online news products, and marketing journalism on the way? How did they overcome obstacles and continue innovating?

12:25 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
(New York time)

Summary and takeaways

Let us synthesise the key learnings from the INMA Media Subscriptions Town Hall into a check-list for your and your team in 2025, and let us add a calendar of INMA events and programmes aimed at assisting you in your journey to reader revenue success.