News publishers including the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times are broadening their target markets as they attempt to establish new paying relationships with people outside of their core audiences and subscriber bases.
Some publishers are moving beyond straight news offerings and establishing products that serve consumer needs and interests in different areas. Others are expanding their purviews to focus on the attitudes and characteristics their audiences share, rather than just the topics and issues their publications cover -- and significantly increasing their “total addressable markets” as a result.
The New York Times has served as the poster child for news subscription success in recent years, attracting over 10 million digital subscribers with the help of non-news products such as Games, Cooking, and The Athletic. However, as it hunts for continued subscriber growth, reaching beyond hardcore news consumers is becoming increasingly essential.