We're here to answer any of your questions for the next week or so. Apologies if any delay in replying, but it's both a busy time and a Holiday break in the UK
We're here to answer any of your questions for the next week or so. Apologies if any delay in replying, but it's both a busy time and a Holiday break in the UK
I'm a trainee journalist at Glasgow Caledonian University. I'm currently writing a feature piece on the state of independent media in the UK. The Byline Times is an outlet I've found invaluable for its investigative journalism and scrutiny of the mainstream press. It's an ideal case study for my story. The questions below are addressed to Hardeep.
1. The independent media organisation, Gal-dem, has just announced its closure. Its closing statement said it has been “increasingly challenging” to run a small media business during the last few years of the pandemic and economic downturn. What challenges does The Byline Times currently face as an independent media outlet and how does it aim to overcome these?
2. How does The Byline Times’ independence allow it to pursue stories such as the ones mentioned above?
3. As well as being independent of corporate owners and government, The Byline Times is independent of party politics and chooses not to make endorsements at elections. Why is this?
4. What are your editorial plans for the future, including in the short, medium and longer terms?
Thank you Rufus for your support. Hardeep is away at the moment, but from my perspective:
1. I'm not sure what Gal-dem's business model was, but it has definitely been a challenging time for all publishers due to the economic downturn. It has particularly hit those businesses which rely most on advertising and retail sales. However, as an entirely subscriber-funded model, I think Byline Times has managed to weather the storm better than most. We have also diversified our output, from Byline TV to Byline books, to the Supplement and this has all helped us get through this period.
2. The subscription-based model is the foundation of our independence. Without it we would be dependent on the whims of advertisers, and / or the support (and demands) of wealthy proprietors. Without that dependence we are free to cover stories that matter the most to our subscribers. In essence our only loyalty is to our readers.
3. Our readers will support various political parties and we have writers who come from the Labour, liberal, Green and Conservative traditions. From my own perspective, I have always felt that newspaper endorsements are somewhat outdated and unlikely to make a meaningful difference in any case. As journalists and editors I think it's our role to report the facts, expose systemic problems, give space for a plurality of viewpoints, but not to lecture people on how they should vote.
4. I will have to leave this for others to set out, but safe to say we have some exciting plans for the near future, including our Byline Festival in July: https://www.bylinefestival.com/
We're here to answer any of your questions for the next week or so. Apologies if any delay in replying, but it's both a busy time and a Holiday break in the UK
Hi there!
I'm a trainee journalist at Glasgow Caledonian University. I'm currently writing a feature piece on the state of independent media in the UK. The Byline Times is an outlet I've found invaluable for its investigative journalism and scrutiny of the mainstream press. It's an ideal case study for my story. The questions below are addressed to Hardeep.
1. The independent media organisation, Gal-dem, has just announced its closure. Its closing statement said it has been “increasingly challenging” to run a small media business during the last few years of the pandemic and economic downturn. What challenges does The Byline Times currently face as an independent media outlet and how does it aim to overcome these?
2. How does The Byline Times’ independence allow it to pursue stories such as the ones mentioned above?
3. As well as being independent of corporate owners and government, The Byline Times is independent of party politics and chooses not to make endorsements at elections. Why is this?
4. What are your editorial plans for the future, including in the short, medium and longer terms?
Best wishes,
Rufus Pickles
Thank you Rufus for your support. Hardeep is away at the moment, but from my perspective:
1. I'm not sure what Gal-dem's business model was, but it has definitely been a challenging time for all publishers due to the economic downturn. It has particularly hit those businesses which rely most on advertising and retail sales. However, as an entirely subscriber-funded model, I think Byline Times has managed to weather the storm better than most. We have also diversified our output, from Byline TV to Byline books, to the Supplement and this has all helped us get through this period.
2. The subscription-based model is the foundation of our independence. Without it we would be dependent on the whims of advertisers, and / or the support (and demands) of wealthy proprietors. Without that dependence we are free to cover stories that matter the most to our subscribers. In essence our only loyalty is to our readers.
3. Our readers will support various political parties and we have writers who come from the Labour, liberal, Green and Conservative traditions. From my own perspective, I have always felt that newspaper endorsements are somewhat outdated and unlikely to make a meaningful difference in any case. As journalists and editors I think it's our role to report the facts, expose systemic problems, give space for a plurality of viewpoints, but not to lecture people on how they should vote.
4. I will have to leave this for others to set out, but safe to say we have some exciting plans for the near future, including our Byline Festival in July: https://www.bylinefestival.com/