"The Independent is leaning on four growth pillars - its talent and IP-led verticals, U.S. expansion, e-commerce and internal AI products - to withstand the zero-click era and the knock-on effect that may have on display ad revenues. Each pillar plays a different role, from driving new revenue streams to testing how AI can be turned from a threat to an opportunity."
"The publisher recently announced annual revenues of £53.2 million ($71.6 million) for the financial year ending 2024, a 15 percent year-over-year increase. U.S. revenue grew 50 percent YoY to £12.7 million ($17 million) and now accounts for a quarter of all revenue. Independent TV saw a 47% increase in revenue as views exceeded 1 billion, not counting platforms like TikTok or YouTube."
"publisher execs like Broughton are staying cool-headed. They're clear that no AI fad will extinguish the value of journalism created by talented humans. But, like many of their publisher peers, he's equally intent on putting AI tools to work inside the business, using them to compete more aggressively with AI-driven shifts rather than sitting back and waiting to see how things shake out."
The Independent is building four growth pillars — talent and IP-led verticals, U.S. expansion, e-commerce, and internal AI products — to offset zero-click impacts on display ad revenue. Annual revenues reached £53.2m for the financial year ending 2024, a 15% year-over-year increase, with U.S. revenue up 50% to £12.7m and now representing a quarter of total revenue. Independent TV revenue rose 47% as views exceeded one billion. Part of a £3.2m operating profit was invested in Independent Studios and the AI product Bulletin. Executives emphasize the enduring value of human journalism while deploying generative AI to drive audience engagement and new revenue streams.
Read at Digiday
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