Hearst And Michael Clinton Launch Digital Content Platform For 50+ Audience
Michael Clinton and Hearst are going after a segment that may have been underrepresented to date: The “Re-Imagineers:” people age 50+.
Clinton and Hearst have introduced ROAR, a B2B digital content platform, consumer membership community and intelligence insights provider. Clinton founded the new entity with Hearst as partner and investor. “Today’s 50-plusyear-olds represent 35% of the population,” Clinton states. “As longevity increases, this group is completely redefining their futures, rejecting old patterns of work and lifestyle.” Clinton adds that this includes “working longer, becoming entrepreneurs, developing new fitness and wellness regimens and more.”
These Re-Imagineers are driving the “New Longevity economy,” Clinton adds. It controls 70% of all the wealth in the U.S. and 60% of consumer spending power. Publishers and marketers desperately striving to reach Gen Z may find new opportunity in the 50+ cohort with tools from ROAR.
ROAR is an outgrowth of Clinton’s book, “ROAR into the second half of life.” Clinton was named senior media advisor to the CEO of Hearst in 2019.
In 21 years at the company, Clinton had served as president of marketing and publishing director of Hearst Magazines, starting in 2010, and was a member of the board of directors of Hearst Corporation.
America’s Newspapers And Google News Initiative Launch North America Subscriptions Lab
Eight America’s Newspapers members have been selected to participate in the 2022 Google News Initiative North America Subscriptions Lab. These newspapers include The Bulletin (Bend, Oregon), Denton Record-Chronicle, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, The Denver Gazette, Shaw Media, Dayton Daily News, The Sumter Item and Yakima Herald-Republic. Additionally, The Hill Times, Les coops de l’information, SaltWire Network and The Daily Memphian were selected to participate.
Delivered in collaboration with FT Strategies, the seven-month program is an ambitious and intensive experience addressing every step of the digital subscriptions process and aims to give participating news organizations the tools to achieve rapid improvement in key subscriptions metrics. Participants will receive customized consulting and handson support as they develop their subscriptions strategies, learn from industry experts and collaborate with other cohort members.
“We’re excited to welcome the new cohort of publishers to create meaningful impact to their subscriptions revenue,” said Sibel Lowin, Global Partnerships Solutions Lead at Google. “The Google News Initiative works to strengthen the news industry globally in the digital age, and that includes news organizations developing sustainable business models. We look forward to sharing the lessons we learn along the way with the greater news ecosystem.”
Dean Ridings, CEO of America’s Newspapers, added, “The GNI Subscriptions Lab is going to provide strategic guidance to our members who are participating in this program. We are glad to be able to partner with GNI to make this program available and are looking forward to measurable improvements as a result. The team at GNI have dedicated significant resources to create a program that will have lasting value.”
Detroit Free Press Journalists Reach Labor Deal Amid Uncertainty
Detroit Free Press journalists recently ratified a new, two-year collective bargaining agreement as parent company Gannett navigates a dire economic outlook.
Why it matters: Unionized workers for the Free Press have been working on a month-to-month labor deal since its last contract expired in 2019.
• While the deal offers local journalists a thin layer of security, the prospect of future job cuts is still looming — Gannett announced more layoffs last week.
Driving the news: Union members unanimously approved the contract Nov. 17.
• The union pushed for raises, but the deal instead includes bonuses of $1,250 in each year of the contract.
Other terms of the agreement include:
• Five unpaid furlough days before the end of the year.
• Wiping pending grievances filed before the deal’s ratification.
What they’re saying: “It’s a good thing for the Free Press. It’s a good thing for Detroit,” Free Press editor and vice president Peter Bhatia tells Axios. “I’m glad we got it done.”
• Bhatia also disputed some of Axios’ previous reporting on the negotiations and the absence of wage increases over the past four years. While raises had not been given across the board, certain individual workers received merit raises.
The bottom line: The deal is a welcome development for Free Press journalists in the short term, but Gannett’s grim forecast casts a cloud of uncertainty over the newsroom heading into 2023.
