Latest news with #KatharineViner
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Guardian journalists in revolt over ‘miserable' website redesign
Guardian journalists are in 'open revolt' against editor Katharine Viner over a website redesign which they claim means their work is not being read. The newspaper this month rolled out a new app and homepage, which it said would help readers 'stay informed without feeling overwhelmed'. But journalists have complained that the new format prioritises international stories and features at the expense of UK news, leaving readers in the dark and staff 'miserable'. In an email to editors, reporters wrote: 'We'd like to point out that aside from the handful of UK news stories which are given a prominent front page slot, though often for a brief period of time, the rest of our stories are simply getting lost. 'There is arguably a correlation between the decimation of local news and the rise of Reform – we worry that taking the focus off UK news makes it harder for us to do exactly this kind of reporting there is currently such a market for.' They added: 'And in turn, not being read, thus not having impact, is miserable! Please understand how demotivating and demoralising this is.' A Guardian spokesman said: 'The recent redesign has in fact increased the amount of news shown on the homepage and it has been well received by readers, with early data demonstrating they are spending significantly longer on the homepage, with a broader range of articles being read. 'We continue to be committed to in-depth coverage of the UK – it remains our biggest edition and we now have more regional reporters across the UK than ever before.' While website redesigns often prove controversial at first, the backlash underscores tensions between Guardian staff and management over its direction. The newspaper has been investing heavily to expand in the US and Australia, while in 2023 it launched a dedicated Europe edition. In a memo to staff on Friday, Ms Viner said: 'We have found new audiences by delivering fantastic journalism across the world, which, in turn, has led to a significant growth in our reader revenue. That global strategy has allowed us to invest in Britain and abroad.' But bosses are now battling to win journalists over to the strategy, with senior editors summoned to a two-day off-site meeting this week. A separate team has been assembled on a longer-term project to explore ways to 'future-proof' the organisation. Sources close to The Guardian insisted its strategy was working, with revenues hitting a record £275m last year while the company trimmed its cash outflows from £37m to less than £25m. Revenues from outside the UK are understood to have topped £100m, while 70pc come from digital. The website saga has reignited discontent about Ms Viner in the aftermath of the sale of The Observer to Tortoise, a start-up run by former BBC News boss James Harding. Journalists mounted a vocal campaign against the sale of the world's oldest Sunday newspaper, which they branded a 'betrayal'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Guardian journalists in revolt over ‘miserable' website redesign
Guardian journalists are in 'open revolt' against editor Katharine Viner over a website redesign which they claim means their work is not being read. The newspaper this month rolled out a new app and homepage, which it said would help readers 'stay informed without feeling overwhelmed'. But journalists have complained that the new format prioritises international stories and features at the expense of UK news, leaving readers in the dark and staff 'miserable'. In an email to editors, reporters wrote: 'We'd like to point out that aside from the handful of UK news stories which are given a prominent front page slot, though often for a brief period of time, the rest of our stories are simply getting lost. 'There is arguably a correlation between the decimation of local news and the rise of Reform – we worry that taking the focus off UK news makes it harder for us to do exactly this kind of reporting there is currently such a market for.' They added: 'And in turn, not being read, thus not having impact, is miserable! Please understand how demotivating and demoralising this is.' A Guardian spokesman said: 'The recent redesign has in fact increased the amount of news shown on the homepage and it has been well received by readers, with early data demonstrating they are spending significantly longer on the homepage, with a broader range of articles being read. 'We continue to be committed to in-depth coverage of the UK – it remains our biggest edition and we now have more regional reporters across the UK than ever before.' While website redesigns often prove controversial at first, the backlash underscores tensions between Guardian staff and management over its direction. The newspaper has been investing heavily to expand in the US and Australia, while in 2023 it launched a dedicated Europe edition. In a memo to staff on Friday, Ms Viner said: 'We have found new audiences by delivering fantastic journalism across the world, which, in turn, has led to a significant growth in our reader revenue. That global strategy has allowed us to invest in Britain and abroad.' But bosses are now battling to win journalists over to the strategy, with senior editors summoned to a two-day off-site meeting this week. A separate team has been assembled on a longer-term project to explore ways to 'future-proof' the organisation. Sources close to The Guardian insisted its strategy was working, with revenues hitting a record £275m last year while the company trimmed its cash outflows from £37m to less than £25m. Revenues from outside the UK are understood to have topped £100m, while 70pc come from digital. The website saga has reignited discontent about Ms Viner in the aftermath of the sale of The Observer to Tortoise, a start-up run by former BBC News boss James Harding. Journalists mounted a vocal campaign against the sale of the world's oldest Sunday newspaper, which they branded a 'betrayal'.
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Guardian expands coverage with new Wales correspondent
The Guardian has appointed Bethan McKernan as Wales correspondent, as part of its ongoing commitment to deepen coverage outside London. McKernan, who returns from reporting in Jerusalem, is the first person to be dedicated to Welsh news in over a decade for the title. Editor-in-chief Katharine Viner has focused on broadening the Guardian's journalism outside the capital during her ten-year tenure. As part of the ongoing commitment to provide coverage across the country, the Guardian in the UK has reporters based in Scotland, Manchester, the North-East, the Midlands, the South-West and now Wales. Will Hayward will also continue in his role as a regular Guardian columnist on Wales. McKernan has anchored the Guardian's reporting of the Middle East and the events that have unfolded in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories since the October 7 attacks. Having worked in the region for 10 years, her experience, judgment and contacts have been at the heart of the Guardian's impressive and comprehensive journalism on a difficult and complex story. Speaking of the appointment, editor-in-chief Katharine Viner said: 'I'm delighted that the Guardian is to have our first Wales correspondent in many years, and that someone of Bethan's calibre will be in the role. Expanding our coverage of Wales is part of our ongoing commitment to increasing on-the-ground reporting across the UK: we now cover Britain outside of London much more fully, with journalists based in Scotland, Manchester, the north-east, the Midlands, the south-west and now Wales. 'We believe we have a responsibility to understand local communities and report on the issues that impact them, which often differ significantly from those facing Londoners. Wales is a crucial part of the British story, as well as having a distinct identity, politics and culture of its own, and Bethan could not be better placed to report on it.' Bethan McKernan said: 'I'm delighted to be coming home to Wales. I am returning after a decade working in the Middle East as a different person, and Wales is a different country to the one I left. We're a year out from the Senedd elections and Wales' political sphere is changing fast, which has implications for the rest of the UK too. The country's traditionally rock-solid support for Labour has collapsed, while Plaid Cymru's independence movement and the far-right Reform party are both surging. 'Wales is so often neglected in the national conversation and the ways its government, society and culture differ from the rest of the country often misunderstood. I'm looking forward to helping change that, building on the Guardian's track record of rigorous public interest reporting.' -ends- Notes to editors Guardian News & Media press office: About the Guardian Media Group Guardian Media Group is amongst the world's leading media organisations. Its core business is Guardian News & Media (GNM), publisher of one of the largest English-speaking quality news websites in the world. In the UK, Guardian Media Group publishes the Guardian newspaper six days a week, first published in 1821. Since launching its US and Australian digital editions in 2011 and 2013, respectively, traffic from outside of the UK now represents around two-thirds of the Guardian's total digital audience. The Guardian also has an international digital edition and a new European edition that launched in 2023, with an expanded network of more than 20 European correspondents, editors and reporters. Last year, the Guardian also appointed its first-ever Caribbean correspondent, a South America correspondent and two Africa correspondents.
Axios
06-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
The Guardian plots U.S. expansion following record revenue year
The Guardian is hiring for more than a dozen new editorial roles to support its U.S. expansion after growing its overall revenue year-over-year by 25%, a source familiar with its plans told Axios. Why it matters: U.K. publications are scrambling to tap into America's lucrative subscription and advertising markets, but The Guardian has found unprecedented success from reader revenue, or donations. That momentum suggests that progressive U.S. readers are eager for The Guardian's global perspective amid a chaotic domestic news cycle. By the numbers: The Guardian US is expected to report in coming months that it earned $65 million in revenue last fiscal year which ended in March, according to a source familiar with its finances. It's also expected to report that revenue from reader contributions made up around 68% of its total U.S. business last year, or around $44 million — a new record. The rest of its U.S. business last year included around $20 million in advertising and $2 million in philanthropic funding, the source said. The paper saw notable reader revenue increases following President Trump's inauguration, and after publications with traditionally left-leaning opinion pages, like the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, said they would pulling back on presidential endorsements. State of play: The Guardian's editor-in-chief Katharine Viner told staffers in a presentation last week that the company's U.S. expansion plan focuses on building the outlet's presence in Washington, D.C., according to a Guardian staffer. In addition to hiring new political journalists, it plans to launch its first-ever U.S. daily news podcast from its New York headquarters. It will add a media reporter and its first-ever science reporter to chronicle shifts in the news landscape and science industry, respectively, under the Trump administration. The Guardian also plans to expand its soccer coverage significantly ahead of the 2026 World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. On the business side, Viner said the company plans to bring its product review site The Filter, stateside, expanding its U.S. business into affiliate commerce. The paper is also beginning to discuss ways it can host more live events during the World Cup. What they're saying: A spokesperson didn't push back on the aforementioned numbers. "This is the latest step in The Guardians plan to be more global, more digital and more reader-funded," they said. Catch up quick: The Guardian first established a U.S. presence a little over a decade ago, but expansion efforts really began to ramp up following the pandemic. It added a slew of C-suite leaders to oversee its U.S. presence, including former Time executive Steve Sachs as managing director and former editor-in-chief for The Intercept Betsy Reed as its U.S. editor. Under Reed, The Guardian US formed an investigations team, a dedicated U.S. soccer desk and expanded its coverage of news-adjacent topics, like wellness. Zoom out: The Guardian joins a long list of U.K.-based publications expanding in the U.S., including Reach, The Financial Times, Hello! magazine, The Sun, The Spectator and The Daily Mail.
