Peak newsletter, gamification and Gen Z news preferences: our top 5 stories from last week

This week’s Twipe Weekly Publishing News Digest takes a look at stories from across the world of publishing and news tech, touching on topics like why publishing is not yet at peak newsletter, how a German publisher is using gamification to educate citizens about local politics, insights from a report studying Gen Z and Millennials news habits and more. Read our top 5 stories of the week below.

1. “We’re experimenting with reader access”: Interview with The Washington Post’s Chief Revenue Office, Joy Robins

At the latest edition of the Web Summit in Lisbon, Jez Walters of What’s New in Publishing sat down with The Washington Post‘s Chief Revenue Officer Joy Robins to discuss all things revenue strategy. The wide ranging interview discusses a series of interesting topics including the impact of The Washington Post‘s decision to raise their subscription price in October, their approach to data and more.

Read the full piece on What’s New in Publishing here.

2. No peak in sight: 82% of publishers still looking to launch extra newsletters

Newsletters have been a powerful tool for publishers in recent years but their future status has been the matter of debate. With 82% of publishers telling WAN-IFRA that they plan to launch extra newsletters, peak newsletter seems to be a false alarm. We have looked at best practices from across publishing to show why newsletters are here to stay.

Find our full insights here.

3. This German news outlet is teaching people about local politics with an in-person game

Gamification is a tool that publishers have frequently turned to in a bid to attract new audiences. In Germany, Der Tagesspiegel have turned to an immersive, in-person game to educate their readers (and players) about the workings of local governments by teaming up with local libraries across Berlin. The game, BVV-Planspiel, is being used to complement Der Tagesspiegel‘s powerful local reporting. Nieman Lab‘s Hanaa’ Tameez dives into the game in more detail speaking to the team behind the move.

Get the full story on Nieman Lab here.

4. Journalists want to re-create Twitter on Mastodon. Mastodon is not into it.

Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover has left many people scrambling for a new home for their ramblings. One platform many journalists seem to have turned to is Mastodon. But, Mastodon seems to be throwing up challenges with its open-source serenity and several server setup. Members of the main journalism server, journa.host, appear to be having their content blocked across other servers. Clearly, the platform differs to Twitter and it appears that journalists need to adapt.

Read more on the Mastadon move from Mathew Ingram in Columbia Journalism Review here.

5. Knowing the news: How Gen Z and Millenials get information on essential topics

The Media Insight Project, a collaboration between The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the American Press Institute, last week launched their latest report looking at the news consumption habits of Gen Z and Millennials. Unlocking the potential of these generations is widely see as key to the future of publishers’ survival and the report provides some great insights to take back for your audience strategies.

Find the full report and a shortened highlights article on American Press Institute here.