Shows
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#29 Lena K: Leadership, AI and Beyond the NewsroomAre we truly digital-first — or just acting the part? Media veteran Lena K. Samuelsson reflects on her transformative tenure at Aftonbladet, Sweden’s largest digital news outlet. Drawing on her experience at Schibsted, she shares three pivotal moments that shaped her leadership: empowering a new generation of editors, accelerating digital transformation during the pandemic, and grappling with the rise of AI in journalism.2025-05-2141 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#28 NZZ: Purpose-Driven Approach to Digital Innovation in Swiss MediaAlexandra Chillag, Strategy & Portfolio Manager at NZZ, guides us through the unique strengths of the Swiss media landscape, the strategic importance of trust, and how NZZ is balancing its rich heritage with innovation. She highlights NZZ's early adoption of AI-driven technologies like propensity modeling for subscriptions, their approach to meeting younger audiences’ "liquid expectations," and the organization's conscious effort to build direct, loyal relationships with their readers in an increasingly fragmented digital ecosystem.2025-05-0620 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#27 FT Strategies: The Future of News Depends on Editorial-Commercial CollaborationLisa MacLeod from FT Strategies shares lessons from three decades in newsrooms. She explains why many media organizations still struggle to leave their print-first mindset behind, why newsroom and commercial teams need to collaborate much more closely — and why the future belongs to those who embrace experimentation, agility, and a new approach to digital storytelling.2025-04-1532 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#26 Finanz und Wirtschaft: From Red To BlackJan Schwalbe, Editor-in-Chief at Finanz und Wirtschaft (FuW), shares the story behind FuW’s transformation into one of TX Group’s fastest-growing digital brands. Under his leadership, the publication expanded beyond print—launching premium products, scaling up events, and embracing gamified formats like Fantasy Funds. These moves boosted brand visibility, attracted younger audiences, and drove subscription growth. Jan also reflects on the high-stakes nature of financial journalism, where precision isn’t just expected—it can move markets.2025-04-0820 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#25 Modern Media, Smarter Revenue: Scaling with AI and StrategyTony Bangert, founder of Performance Labs and a seasoned media and tech executive, joins us to discuss how traditional media companies can leverage AI effectively for revenue operations, and the need for strategic adoption and internal buy-in. Tony also highlights how media startups are leveraging agility and tech to challenge legacy outlets, and how Performance Labs is building tools that make revenue diagnostics scalable and actionable.2025-04-0123 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#24 Personalization with Purpose: Redefining Metrics and Media LoyaltyIn this episode, Tarjei Gilbrant, CEO of Kilkaya, joins us to challenge the way publishers think about analytics, engagement, and personalization. We explore why traditional KPIs like clicks and view time fall short, and how editorially guided personalization can drive loyalty and distinguish quality journalism from social media noise. From informed recommendations to homepage transformation, Tarjei shares insights on aligning analytics with publisher's core business, the risks of relying on tech giants, and the future of direct audience relationships.2025-03-2519 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#23 Beyond the Newsroom: Why Publishers Need to Think Like Tech CompaniesNewsrooms aren't just about journalism anymore. Alexian Chiavegato from Marfeel breaks down why modern publishers must think beyond content creation—embracing SEO, AI, audience data, and even e-commerce. We dive into why engagement isn't just about clicks and why smaller publishers need to rethink revenue models beyond subscriptions.2025-03-1829 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#22 Innovating News & Subscriptions: How FAZ is Shaping the Future of Digital JournalismMarina Sorg, Deputy Chief Product Officer at Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) shares how the German publisher is driving digital innovation and subscription growth in an evolving media landscape. She discusses the revamp of "FAZ Der Tag", featuring AI-generated summaries, audio integration, and interactive features to engage modern audiences. Marina also explores FAZ’s Plus subscription strategy and efforts to reduce platform dependency by strengthening direct reader relationships.2025-03-1123 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#21 Mastering Push Notifications: The Power of Smart AlertsWe sit down with Renata Okrajni, CEO of PushPushGo, to chat about the role of push notifications in media and explore expert tips on making push notifications a powerful tool for your audience strategy. Renata shares insights on how segmentation, breaking news, and local journalism can drive audience engagement—while also highlighting what to watch out for to avoid notification fatigue.2025-03-0419 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#20 Profit, Innovation, and Journalism: Inside Alma Media’s Entrepreneurial CultureJohanna Suhonen, VP of Content Business at Alma Media, discusses the evolving Nordic media landscape and strategies for future-proofing media businesses. She highlights Alma Media’s revenue-driven culture, where journalists and managers work in a hands-on, results-oriented, and entrepreneurial way to achieve the company’s goals.The conversation explores the challenge of maintaining both profitability and high-quality content, enabling structured innovation while preserving journalistic integrity.2025-02-1918 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#19 Better Collective's Group Senior Director: From Traditional Media to Global Digital LeadershipHaving worked at nearly every major media house in Denmark,Pernille Holbøll, Group Senior Director atBetter Collective, shares her journey from editorial leadership in traditional media to the more commercial side of an international digital company. In this episode, we explore the balance between editorial integrity and business strategy, the evolving revenue models in digital media, and the gap between content creation and monetization.Pernille also discusses strategies at Better Collective to stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry, key lessons from the past and how they prepare for the future.2025-02-1327 min
The Publisher Podcast by Media VoicesMedia Briefs: Norkon's Eirik Næsje and Birger Søiland on the power of liveLive content is a crucial tool for publishers for attracting and retaining readers, especially younger audiences used to finding real-time information from social media. Publishers have an opportunity to add vital context and expertise compared to alternative sources.
This is the latest in our Media Briefs series of short, sharp sponsored episodes with senior executives from a vendor working with publishers to make their businesses better.
In this episode we hear from Norkon CEO Eirik Næsje and VP of Sales Birger Søiland. Norkon delivers innovative solutions to help publishers meet their growth objectives, wi...2025-02-0621 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#18 Practical insights from Mather on leveraging dataIgnaz Van Hasselt fromMather joins us for a deep dive into the world of data. Ignaz shares practical insights on leveraging data, avoiding common pitfalls and why data is useless without the right questions.he myth of more content equals more engagement.2025-02-0524 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#17 Berlingske Media: Tech-Driven EvolutionIn this episode, we sit down with Anders Krab-Johansen, the CEO of Berlingske Media, a prominent figure in the Danish media landscape. We dive into Berlingske Media's strategic collaborations with major tech players, including social media and search companies, to develop viable solutions for news publishers in the digital age and touch on the challenges faced during Google's experiment, where 1% of search traffic in Denmark was blocked. Anders also shares the unified approach at Berlingske of implementing new technology and streamlining workflows across their four distinct brands.2025-01-1419 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#16 Reflecting on 2024: AI Advancements, Data and Personalization of Media in 2025From AI advancements leveraging data to new content personalization opportunities and the emergence of new industry players, we reflect on the past year’s milestones and anticipate what lies ahead in 2025. In this episode, Norkon's CEO, Eirik Næsje, and Co-founder & Head of Innovation, Fredrik Nøring, share their perspectives on the critical success factors for media houses and the role of data in driving innovation and personalization opportunities, painting a vivid picture of an evolving media landscape.2024-12-1851 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#15 HBM Advisory: The quest for achieving sustainable business modelsWe’re joined by Alan Hunter and Michael Brunt, co-founders of HBM Advisory, to explore sustainable revenue models and address the commercial challenges confronting today’s media outlets. With the continuous changes in the media industry, from print to digital to search algorithmic changes and traffic decline, it has become essential for publishers to diversify their revenue streams. Alan and Michael emphasize that the most successful publishers focus on their readers, trying to find new ways to better serve them and lock them in, rather than focusing on managing decline.Key takeaway: Don't mourn on how thing used to be...2024-12-1033 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#14 Apps for Publishers: When, Why, and How They Truly WorkJonny Kaldor, Co-founder of Pugpig, joins us to explore the strategic role of apps in driving reader engagement and loyalty. He emphasizes that app success hinges on thoughtful newsroom integration and effort, sharing insights on when and why a mobile app approach makes sense for publishers as well as overlooked challenges.Pugpig's consumption and retention report can be accessed here: https://www.pugpig.com/the-media-collective-on-retention-economics/2024-11-1228 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#13 La Presse's digital-only strategy and continuous adaptation for tomorrowJean-Marc de Jonghe, VP of Digital Product at La Presse, discusses the newspaper's bold transition to a digital-only model in 2017. He reflects on the strategic choices that drove this shift and explores how rapid technological change continues to reshape the media landscape. Emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human-driven storytelling, Jean-Marc highlights how La Presse maintains an agile team and prioritizes high reader engagement to stay relevant in an evolving digital world.2024-11-0527 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#12 The Keyword Is "Speed" In an Accelerated AI RevolutionDanny Lein, founder of Twipe, joins us to discuss the challenges and opportunities media organizations face in an era where AI technology is disrupting businesses at very high speed, where tech giants like AWS, Google and Microsoft release new AI products at an extremely rapid pace. Danny also shares highlights from the Twipe Digital Summits, which reunited expert keynote speakers from the industry.2024-10-3023 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#11 Fortune Media: How a print magazine thrives in the digital ageJim Edwards, Global Executive Editor for News at Fortune Media joins us in this episode and shares Fortune's unique positioning. He explores how traditional media models that have long relied on print and live conferences, once considered outdated, have now become valuable assets in today’s subscription-driven landscape. We also discuss Fortune’s late digital evolution, including its delayed launch of a dedicated website until 2017, and how this hindsight allowed the company to avoid many of the common pitfalls of digital media. Additionally, we dive into the impact of third-party cookie tracking, privacy concerns, and the rise of t...2024-10-2228 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#10 Viafoura: Revamping Media’s Approach to a More Interactive and Local ExperienceIn this episode, Marc Zohar, CEO of Viafoura, talks about how media publishers can stay competitive and relevant in the digital age by focusing on user engagement and trust-building strategies. The conversation emphasizes the importance of adapting to consumer habits, fostering interactive content, collaborating with local influencers and learning from the creator economies. By integrating these elements, publishers can enhance user loyalty, establish deeper connections, and regain trust in an increasingly fragmented and distracted media environment.2024-10-1523 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#9 Norkon CEO: Embracing Collaboration With Leaders In Their FieldEirik Naesje, CEO at Norkon, talks about the evolving media landscape and how media companies adapt to technological advancements to cope with changing consumer expectations. Eirik shares his observations of successful news publishers who have embraced a collaborative approach with technology firms to tap into skilled and forward-thinking software developers, rather than trying to solve short-term tech challenges in-house.2024-09-2417 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#8 INMA's Jodie Hopperton on Startup Agility, Tech Stacks, AI, and Strategic GrowthJodie Hopperton leads INMA's Product & Tech initiative and shares her career journey and experience of working in corporate and startup environments. Drawing on her experience, we discuss how larger businesses could learn from the agility of startups and the importance of clear, articulable goals to ensure team alignment. She also highlights the importance and need for modular, nimble tech stacks in legacy organizations to adapt rapidly to changing demands, as legacy systems can hinder growth in large organizations. We also touch on the growing focus on AI's impact on consumer behavior and content personalization where platforms like Apple are...2024-09-1720 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#7 Arizona Media Association: Adapting Video Strategies for Modern MediaNate Kelly, VP of the Arizona Media Association, shares the success behind video strategies and emphasizes the importance of embracing new formats, like vertical video, and prioritizing speed and relevance over polished production in news content.By focusing on relevant, well-placed content and removing intrusive, low-value ads and videos publishers can create a high-quality premium environment that justifies subscription fees and meets modern consumer expectations.2024-08-2720 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#6 DN Media Group: Product Development and Take on Current StatusAre Westerink Sandvik, Product Manager at DN Media Group, shares his focus on integrating product development with media, emphasizing the importance of delivering a high-quality digital user experience. Whether bundling different services to the reader, leveraging gamification with platforms like Fantasy Funds to attract younger audiences or exploring future AI-driven services to subscribers, Are shares insights and some of the successes and focus areas at DN to continuously improve their digital offering.2024-08-2014 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#5 JP/Politiken Media Group: Gen AI and How JP/Politiken Embraces the FutureStig Ørskov, CEO of JP/Politiken Media Group, joins the conversation to discuss the significant shifts in the media industry and how the AI revolution is different by allowing publishers to play a proactive role and sit down at the negotiation table. We touch on the importance of establishing direct relationships with readers, how the main challenge today lies in reaching the audience, and how subscriptions will continue to be the main source of revenue for publishers.Stig also shares JP's experience with producing niche content and creating verticals for different industries and observes the s...2024-08-1320 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#4 The Audiencers: Small Publishers Are Sometimes The Most Innovative Ones, Community, and Buy vs. BuildWe're taking a look behind the scenes of The Audiencers' and how culture takes precedence over strategy. Madeleine White shares her experiences from conversations with various publishers, highlighting that small publishers are often the most innovative ones out of necessity, and the bold moves of innovators like The Economist, who recently became the first to launch a podcast exclusively for subscribers. We also discuss the importance of community in fostering a sense of belonging among readers, and delve into the ongoing debate in the industry—whether to build or buy technology solutions—and discuss current mark...2024-08-0614 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#3 The Rebooting Part 2: Process Innovations And Roadmap To SuccessWhat if you abandoned print today and launched your news publication as digital-only? In this episode, we dive into the mindset shifts required and the innovations necessary on the product side to succeed in this brave new world. Brian Morrissey, founder of The Rebooting, shares his expert recommendations for mid-size publishers navigating this transformation. He emphasizes the importance of process innovation, efficiency, and cost savings as critical elements for maintaining competitiveness. Brian offers a roadmap for success over the next 5-10 years, highlighting key strategies to ensure your publication not only survives but thrives in...2024-07-3015 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#2 The Rebooting Part 1: Rethinking Subscription StrategiesIn this episode, we sit down with Brian Morrissey, founder of The Rebooting, to discuss the evolving landscape of subscription models and the pressing need for innovation in this space to define new benchmarks for success. Brian shares his keen observations on the strategic changes at The Washington Post and their potential implications for the broader media industry.2024-07-2309 min
I Need More Coffee And Better Ideas#1 SEO, Google and web traffic with Barry Adams: is there a light at the end of the tunnel?The unsettling decline of social media as a referral source underlines the importance of SEO for news publishers in driving search engine visibility and user engagement, despite the unpredictability of Google's algorithms.In this episode, we sit down with Barry Adams, SEO Expert at Polemic Digital, to discuss news aggregators and the need for publishers to build loyal audiences and maintain journalistic integrity, advocating against clickbait tactics and emphasizing quality content.2024-07-1615 min