Illustrative engagement. A representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work in news media. It does not describe a specific client; outcomes are described qualitatively.
Industry overview
What is shaping news media
News publishers and broadcasters are rebuilding trust and revenue through subscriptions, regional coverage and new formats.
- Trust is a competitive advantage
- Subscriptions need a clear value proposition
- Regional news has loyal audiences
Client background
A news publisher, working in India. This is an illustrative engagement: a representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work, not a named client project.
- Organisation
- A news publisher
- Sector
- News media
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Quantitative research, Online surveys
Client challenge
The publisher planned a paywall and needed to know which offers would work.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: testing digital subscription offers.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of readers.
- Produce results that can be compared across groups and locations.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 4 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 2,000 readers.
- readers2,000
Audiences we typically reach in news media
Readers and viewersSubscribers and lapsed subscribersRegional audiencesAdvertisersYoung news consumers
Geographic coverage
Coverage: India. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
A structured quantitative design, so results could be compared across groups, locations and time.
- 1Brief
- 2Offer testing
- 3Insight
We tested subscription prices and bundles with regular readers.
Quantitative researchOnline surveys
Sampling strategy
- readers
- 2,000
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
Data collection
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
Data quality & validation
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
Key findings
- Readers preferred an ad-light experience and e-paper access.
Subscribers pay for experience, not just articles.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: subscribers pay for experience, not just articles.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: readers preferred an ad-light experience and e-paper access.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The publisher bundled both.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: what would make people subscribe?