The CEO of Reach plc, the company behind newspapers like the Mirror, Express, and Star, has announced that while their print titles are expected to become unprofitable within the next six to eight years, the growth of their digital operations will offset these losses and prevent the closure of these titles. Reach owns over a hundred news brands, including the Manchester Evening News, Birmingham Mail, and Liverpool Echo.

Despite the decline in print profitability, the CEO, Jim Mullen, stated that Reach will continue to support its print ventures. He emphasized that although the print business is shrinking, it still contributes significantly to their annual revenues and remains profitable for the next six to eight years.

Last year, Reach’s print operations, which include advertising and copy sales, brought in £406 million in revenue, a 6% decrease compared to the previous year. While the number of newspapers sold by Reach dropped by 17%, the company’s operational costs reduced due to lower expenses in ink, newsprint, energy, and printing plates.

Reach has been focusing on a digital-first strategy, which led to job cuts in the traditional print sector, yet managed to boost digital revenue by 2.1% to £130 million in 2024. The company also experienced an 8.6% growth in the fourth quarter, marking the fastest growth rate in nearly three years. Digital now constitutes nearly a third of Reach’s total revenue.

Mullen acknowledged the significant appeal of US news, including topics related to Donald Trump, as a traffic draw. He refrained from predicting when digital revenue would surpass print revenue, saying it’s still a way off.

The shift to digital has led to a substantial loss of senior and long-standing editorial staff. Reach enacted the largest cut of jobs in the newspaper industry in years, eliminating almost 800 positions, which is about 10% of its workforce.

Mullen defended the job cuts, stating that while there has been a culture of cuts, Reach is still hiring new staff—albeit on lower salaries—to support its digital transformation. The company has also invested in digital infrastructure, including studios at key sites and increased production of social video content.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/10/mirror-express-and-star-owner-says-its-print-titles-will-be-loss-making-from-2031