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For ten years, a media management program in Riga has been training the people behind some of the best-known independent newsrooms from Central and Eastern Europe. The core idea – teach top journalism leaders to think like managers. Our new story looks at ten years of Future Media Management at SSE Riga.

As the print industry plummets, publishers are going digital to save costs. The bulk of the print readers are aged 50 years and above. But a sizable portion of this demographic doesn’t use online tools to consume news. ◼ Digitalising print is the agenda of many publishers worldwide – but success is uneven. Both outlets had different challenges as taz.de had to break the physical newspaper habit of its readers, while RUMS had to make space for itself in a market with no digital news. ◼ When taz decided to go online with their daily newspaper, there was resistance from their readers. Over the years, the readers had developed the habit of reading the physical newspaper and many voiced that they enjoyed the rustling feel of a physical paper. ◼ Instead of dropping change on them, taz took time to introduce the changes and kept the October 17th, 2025 deadline before the full switch to digital. taz would host tours and meet people all over Germany to engage and help them in this switch. ◼ Apart from the physical meetings, they also dedicated a telephone hotline to make sure that the switch was seamless. They further added the rustling paper noise to their app for a better user experience. ◼ In their recent survey, 93.2% said they switched from the printed daily paper to the digital version. 84.2% had reached out to their technical support staff, of which 68.1% were very satisfied and 29.8% were satisfied with the service. ◼ Launched in 2020, RUMS is an independent newsletter that strives to add a pluralistic voice to Münster’s local journalism. RUMS realised that not only were the residents lacking exposure to digital news products, but also that around 38% of Münster’s population was over the age of 50. ◼ "We run community events across the city, which provide in-person entry points for people who might not be digital-first. We also release all our content free of charge two weeks after publication, which gives people on fixed incomes or those hesitant about digital subscriptions a way to engage with our journalism," says Marc-Stefan Andres, co-founder of RUMS. ◼ "Having testimonials from readers in their late sixties and beyond shows us that digital news is not just attractive to younger groups, but can also resonate with older audiences when it is locally relevant and user-friendly," he adds. ❓ A successful media business hinges not only on acquiring new subscribers but also on retaining the existing ones. How can other publishers successfully bridge the digital divide for their most loyal, traditional readers? 📍 Read the full article on our website.

In the latest FixEd episode, The Fix’s director Jakub Parusinski speaks with Act3 Agency founder John Taylor about podcast discoverability, growth, and sustainable monetisation. They also explore why clear positioning and consistent distribution matter as much as the podcast itself. It’s a fascinating conversation that combines both smart takes on how the industry has changed with practical advice for podcast operators. Listen to the full conversation on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts: ▶️ Youtube 🎵 Spotify 🍏 Apple 🎧 Other