🌯 LA Times Woes Signal It’s Time to Reinvent the Newsroom

By Andrew Byrd May 02, 2025

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Greetings Monsters,

The news business is on the ropes in general, but what’s been happening lately at The Los Angeles Times is particularly grim. In March, the once-powerful American daily newspaper just slashed more than 20% of its newsroom staff in a desperate bid to stop its financial bleeding.

The LA Times has been losing tens of millions a year—and tens of thousands of subscribers.

Its billionaire owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, has been trying bold (and sometimes controversial) experiments in an attempt to right the ship. For instance, in October he made the politically-charged move to end the paper’s presidential endorsement and ordered the addition of a bias meter to its reporting in December.

Sadly, this narrative is all too familiar.

Legacy newsrooms face nasty conditions from coast to coast: plummeting ad revenue, subscriber churn, and the relentless march of platform disruption.

Even deep pockets and storied brands are no match for the economic headwinds battering the industry. As newsrooms shrink and advertisers pull back, the question is bigger than just whether the LA Times can survive. The question is about what the future holds for news publishers everywhere.

So, how are publishers responding to all of this instability and disruption? What’s working, what’s not, and what’s next for the news business in 2025? Let’s dig in.

May 01, 2025

The LA Times Faces Revenue Setbacks

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The LA Times’ Struggle Underscores the Urgent Need for Newsroom Transformation

News Isn’t a Commodity—It’s a Premium Product

The LA Times' recent woes, a mix of layoffs, subscriber attrition, and advertiser departures, have become a flashpoint in the broader debate over the financial viability of journalism.

While the Times is hardly the only publisher facing revenue struggles, its high-profile setbacks have sparked renewed scrutiny of the business models supporting news.

Yet industry observers argue that the fallout from these challenges isn’t inevitable. There is a growing push among publishers to reposition news as a product deserving of premium pricing.

“Enough with the 'Eat your vegetables' pitch—advertisers understand the importance of news, but we need to prove why it works," Yahoo CRO Rob Wilk declared during a panel at IAB’s Annual Leadership Meeting in January.

It’s up to publishers to prove to advertisers why news is so effective at engaging consumers, he said.

"We have not fought back enough with data,” Wilk said. “We can show incremental reach and how valuable our audiences are.”

For instance, publishers are working to educate advertisers on the brand-safe potential of trusted journalism and the deficient nature of keyword blocklists.

Many are also investing in first-party data, direct-sold ad deals, and tools that demonstrate the depth and engagement of their audiences—especially as third-party cookies continue to decline in relevance.

News organizations that confidently pitch their audiences—supported by behavioral and contextual data—command higher CPMs and more stable advertiser relationships.

Publishers willing to challenge outdated assumptions and communicate the unique value of their content and communities can justify and command more premium pricing.

Monetization Strategies Evolve as Publishers Diversify Their Revenue Mix

Many publishers are also quietly building more diversified—and hopefully more resilient—revenue strategies.

Operators across the sector are investing in branded content studios, affiliate commerce programs, subscription models, and direct-to-consumer products that turn casual readers into paying supporters.

And publishers are exploring niche coverage areas and experimenting with new formats, such as shoppable videos and newsletters, to drive engagement and create monetizable touchpoints beyond traditional display ads.

These moves signal a broader shift away from ad-only models amid growing ad tech uncertainty.

At the same time, AI is reshaping revenue strategy for publishers by boosting ad performance, powering dynamic paywalls, and personalizing content. Even the LA Times is testing AI-generated counterpoints for its opinion pieces.

These tactics are increasingly helping publishers offset losses in programmatic income and reduce dependence on intermediaries.

While the LA Times remains a cautionary tale, the challenges it’s experiencing are not the full story. Across the industry, a new monetization playbook is emerging—one that prioritizes innovation, diversification, and a deeper understanding of audience value.

Did you like this newsletter? Is there a topic you want me to tackle next time? Feel free to hit me up with your feedback at abyrd@admonsters.com.

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