Looking back on 2024's milestones

Dear reader,

This year, news media leaders faced a rapidly evolving subscription landscape, balancing print sustainability with the demands of digital transformation. Mitigating churn remained a top priority, with smarter pricing strategies and engagement-driven approaches helping drive retention. 

The adoption of AI-powered tools and personalized offerings proved essential in boosting acquisition and lifetime value, while diversifying revenue streams—through bundles, memberships, and advertising synergies—helped many navigate economic pressures.

As business leaders leaned into data-driven decision-making and operational efficiency, we were proud to support many in identifying opportunities, refining strategies, and achieving sustainable growth in an increasingly complex and competitive market. 

As we close out 2024, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the milestones, achievements, and progress of the year—made possible through collaboration with our clients, partners, and team. 

Our 2024 Highlights

🌍 Expanding Our Reach and Impact 

This year, we expanded our reach by welcoming new clients and partners both domestically and across the Atlantic. To better serve our European audiences, we launched The EU Digest—a fresh newsletter delivering insights into the European media landscape. With this growth, we’re even better positioned to support publishers worldwide, helping them navigate the unique opportunities and challenges of each market.  

🚀 New Innovations and Offerings 

• Enhanced the capabilities of the Sophi Dynamic Paywall Engine, making AI-powered paywall strategies accessible to publishers of all sizes. 
• Launched the Strategy Accelerator, a strategic assessment tool designed to uncover quick wins and long-term growth opportunities for publishers refining their growth plans.  
• Introduced the Advertising Profitability Analysis, providing publishers with deeper insights into ad revenue performance and optimization strategies. 
• Rolled out Content Insights, Sophi-powered analytics dashboards built to empower newsrooms and business teams with the data they need to refine content strategies and unlock revenue potential. More updates on the horizon in 2025! 
• Partnered with InsurAds to deliver cutting-edge yield management solutions, equipping publishers with best-in-class tools to maximize revenue from subscriptions and advertising. 

📚 Expanded Thought Leadership 

We published 36 thought leadership articles, offering actionable insights and innovative strategies for publishers. Highlights include: 

• Why Publishers Struggle with Digital Revenue Growth: A Call for Strategic, Organizational, and Technological Alignment
• Paywall Intercept rates on “closed” and “open” news sites yield revenue optimization insights
• Decoding Subscription Value: Annual vs. Monthly Terms
• Navigating the Print Runway: Strategic Pricing for a Digital-First Future

We also released quarterly subscription benchmarking reports, providing publishers with data-driven insights to optimize revenue and stay ahead of industry trends.

Find our latest Q3 report here! 

🎤 Webinars and Events 

We hosted four webinars with fantastic guest speakers, sharing actionable strategies to help publishers thrive: 

• Revisiting Pricing Fundamentals (Pt. 1) 

• Maturing Your Pricing Strategy (Pt. 2) 

• Pricing in Practice (Pt. 3) 

• Free or Premium? How to Maximize Your Content’s Value 

Engaged with many of you at key industry events, fostering connections and sharing our expertise: 

• ONA 2024 

• INMA’s Media Innovation Week  

• Press Gazette’s Future of Media Trends 

• WAN-IFRA Paris AI Forum 

✨ Looking Ahead  

As we step into 2025, we’re energized to continue collaborating, innovating, and driving results. Whether you’re looking for quick wins or strategies for long-term growth, we’re here to help. 

We’re also excited to connect with you in person at these upcoming Q1 events: 

• Mather-Hosted CEO Roundtable – February 3, 2025 | New York City, NY 

• Mather Symposium – February 26–27, 2025 | Dallas, Texas  (Click here to register!)

• INMA Media Subscriptions Summit – March 10, 2025 | Amsterdam 

Here’s to new opportunities, shared successes, and continued growth in 2025! 

-The Mather Team