The Media Leader Podcast
In the publishing market, one segment that has seen turbulence over the past few years is freesheets. As the pandemic disrupted commuting, trains and tubes added Wi-Fi, and hybrid working became the norm, fewer people read the paper on their daily commute.
This had downstream effects on some of the UK’s oldest papers. The Evening Standard became The Standard, moving from a daily to a weekly paper and emphasising its website. Metro, which remains the UK’s highest-circulation paper, has undergone several restructures and moved in and out of profitability as it has also invested in its digital and social products.
Now, facing declining click-through rates to websites because of Google’s search changes, these news outlets have to adapt again. As freesheets, they are entirely reliant on advertising as a business model, putting them at the coalface of changes in reader behaviour both offline and online.
Deborah Arthurs is editor-in-chief of Metro. Jo Mazenko is Metro’s commercial director.
Last month, host Jack Benjamin joined them at Mail Metro Media’s offices in Kensington to discuss how the title has adapted to the changing publishing market.
“Metro was born around the commute, but the day doesn’t stop when you get off the train,” says Mazenko. “It’s about finding new ways to connect to people [and] keep the conversation going throughout the day.”
Listen now by hitting the play button or use the appropriate entry point into Spotify, Apple or Google Podcasts:
Thanks to our production partners, Trisonic, for editing this episode. Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audience.
Highlights
7:25: Metro’s up-and-down journey since the pandemic and changed distribution strategy
15:13: How editorial and commercial can work together while maintaining church and state
21:17: Managing the road to Google Zero by prioritising quality over quantity
26:10: Selling print in 2026 and moving into live events
33:49: The importance of habit formation
38:01: How commuting has changed
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