Insight Shapes News

Why do people really pay for news in 2025 — and what keeps them paying month after month?In this episode of Insight Shapes News by Kilkaya, host Nils Ove Håland Riise sits down with Dominic Grzbielok, Head of Paid Content s at Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ). Dominic is a former journalist turned product leader who has spent the last 15 years living in the intersection of newsroom culture, product strategy, and subscription growth.SZ has set an ambitious north-star: fund the entire company through digital subscriptions by 2030. That goal shapes everything — from what the homepage looks like, to how paywalls work, to what metrics matter most. Dominic shares how SZ is evolving from reach-first thinking to serving loyal subscribers, why churn is the ultimate truth, and how habits — not hacks — are the real retention engine. We also dive into the most heated questions publishers face right now:Should personalization climb higher on the homepage?Do dynamic paywalls beat hard paywalls?And in a world of AI answers and LLM distribution… do we still need a homepage at all? 🎧 Topics we cover:Why people subscribe to news — and why “feeling informed” beats raw contentThe 2030 goal: going all-in on digital subscription revenueWhy revenue matters more than subscriber counts (and the danger of discount addiction)The homepage as front door and brand signal — with 3/4 of it paywalledHow SZ introduced hybrid personalization (editorial top, algorithmic modules below)What it takes to earn editorial trust in personalization: dashboards, rules, fast fixesThe single most important metricHabits that retain: newsletters, podcasts, quizzes, games, and serialized contentBundling as a retention strategy — including SZ’s winning sports bundle with KickerWhy regional mega-bundles are harder in Germany than in the NordicsDynamic paywalls: promising, but not worth the complexity yetAI distribution and licensing: partner, don’t panic — but don’t give away the brandThe future for small publishers: specialization, local dominance, and cost disciplineDominic’s biggest lesson: the best products happen when journalists, designers, and PMs build togetherIf you’re working on subscriptions, personalization, homepage strategy, or trying to navigate the AI-era business model shift — this conversation is a grounded, practical walk through what it takes to build a subscriber-first newsroom without losing your soul.

What happens when competitors share their most sensitive numbers — and build one common truth instead of competing dashboards?In this episode of Insight Shapes News by Kilkaya, host Nils Ove Håland Riise talks with Bente Håvimb, Project Manager at MBL (the Norwegian Media Business Association), about Medietall — the shared measurement system that unites nearly every Norwegian publisher under one set of trusted audience data.We dive into why transparency matters in an era of declining ad revenues, how collaboration on data helps publishers compete with global tech giants, and what makes Norway’s news market a “unicorn” in the eyes of international observers.🎧 Topics we cover:Why openness and shared standards build trust between publishers, advertisers, and readersHow Medietall measures reach, subscriptions, and behavior across 190+ titlesWhy “apples to apples” data lets Norwegian media stand stronger against Big TechThe unique Norwegian mix: high subscriptions, direct traffic, and logged-in usersHow advertisers actually use these numbers — and why many still default to global platformsWhat success looks like for Medietall: stability, quality, and constant adaptationThe road ahead: video, audio, AI, and measuring trust as the next big KPIIf you want to understand how collaboration can turn competitors into allies — and why a transparent, shared dataset is becoming the strongest weapon against Big Tech dominance — this conversation offers a rare look behind the numbers that shape Norway’s media industry.—🎧 Subscribe to Insight Shapes News for conversations on the future of journalism, personalization, and the strategies shaping the media industry.Chapters00:00 The State of Norwegian News Media05:38 The Importance of Data Sharing in Media11:19 Trust and Collaboration Among Publishers17:14 Advertising Value and Media Reach22:58 Unique Aspects of the Norwegian Media Market28:49 Future Outlook for Media and Data34:36 Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

When 80% of homepage clicks happen in the very top rows, this is exactly where personalization has the biggest impact. At the same time, publishers face declining traffic from social platforms and search, making the homepage a central place to build direct relationships with readers.In this episode of Insight Shapes News by Kilkaya, host Nils Ove Håland Riise talks with Dana Schlüenzen, Director of Product at Hamburger Morgenpost (MOPO), about how her team introduced personalization at the top of the homepage. She explains the challenges of early systems that worked like a “black box,” why editorial control was essential to move forward, and what changed when personalization was combined with transparency.The discussion covers how MOPO tested personalization with its HSV football coverage, how the newsroom adapted, and what results followed: A 32% jump in CTR, evergreen stories resurfacing at the right time, and a newsroom culture shift that embraced personalization as a tool for strengthening direct reader relationships.🎧 Topics we cover:Why the top rows drive 80% of clicks — and why personalization belongs thereHow “black box” algorithms undermine editorial trustThe breakthrough: personalization with transparency and controlWhy direct engagement matters more as social/search traffic declinesLessons from testing on MOPO’s HSV football pageReal results: 32% CTR growth and happier readersThe cultural shift that turned skeptics into advocatesIf you’re rethinking homepage strategy with personalization in a world where direct reader engagement matters more than ever, this episode offers both practical lessons and candid reflections from the frontline.—🎧 Subscribe to Insight Shapes News for conversations on the future of journalism, personalization, and the strategies shaping the media industry.Chapters00:00 The Importance of Homepage Engagement03:41 Challenges of Personalization in News07:16 Balancing Control and Algorithmic Recommendations11:09 The Role of Editorial Teams in Personalization14:45 Testing and Learning from Personalization Strategies18:17 Measuring Success: CTR and User Engagement22:21 Cultural Shifts in Newsrooms25:51 Future of Personalization in Journalism

What happens when you give local newsrooms its own AI lab — and build tools that think with you, not just for you?In this episode of Insight Shapes News by Kilkaya, host Nils Ove Håland Riise is joined by Markus Franz, CTO at Ippen Media — Germany’s largest local journalism network — to explore how AI agents, adaptive content, and experimentation culture are shaping the future of journalism.Markus shares the story behind building Ippen’s internal AI lab, the kinds of projects they run, and why curiosity, speed, and a willingness to fail (fast) are critical for transforming legacy newsrooms. From ambient intelligence and elastic content to the evolving role of journalists as navigators, this is a conversation full of bold ideas and practical insight.🎧 Topics we cover:What AI agents actually do in a newsroomWhy the future has no buttons — just voiceHow Ippen’s lab team drives experimentation (and when they hand it off)Adaptive content vs. elastic content (and why it matters)How AI can help local journalism be faster, cheaper, and more relevantBuilding tools for the audience — not just the journalistThe one trait Markus looks for in every lab hirePlus: If you dropped him in a struggling newsroom with just a laptop and Wi-Fi, Markus reveals exactly what he’d build first.Whether you’re thinking about personalization, newsroom transformation, AI strategy, or culture change — this is your front-row seat to the experimental edge of European journalism.—🎧 Subscribe to Insight Shapes News for conversations on the future of journalism, product thinking, and the strategies shaping the media industry.

What do advertisers really want from publishers — and why do so many budgets still flow to big tech?In this episode of Insight Shapes News by Kilkaya, host Nils Ove Håland Riise sits down with Ann Jack, Managing Director of WPP Media Norway, to talk about what actually drives modern media buying decisions — and what publishers need to do to compete.From clean rooms and connected TV to programmatic out-of-home and first-party data strategies, this episode unpacks what’s changed, what buyers prioritize, and how publishers can unlock more value by making it easier to buy.🎧 Topics we cover:Why friction-free buying is ImportantThe power of first-party data (and who’s using it well)Why siloed formats and walled gardens block growthHow WPP uses AI to optimize cross-channel campaignsWhat media sellers must know about Gen Z consumption habitsWhat media must know about Gen Z consumption habitsAnd why attention, attribution, and access matter more than everWhether you're in publishing, adtech, sales, or strategy — this is a front-row view into what the world’s biggest media buyers expect in 2025 and beyond.—🎧 Subscribe to Insight Shapes News for conversations on the future of journalism, product thinking, and the strategies shaping the media industry.Chapters00:00 The Shift in Media Spending02:48 Challenges for Publishers in the Digital Age05:57 Navigating the Media Landscape: A Personal Journey08:53 The Consolidated Media Landscape in Norway12:07 Attracting Advertisers: The Appeal of Big Tech14:59 Engaging Younger Audiences: The Role of Publishers18:05 Building Strong Partnerships with Publishers21:07 The Importance of Trust in Media23:59 Adapting to Changing Consumer Behavior28:09 The Shift in Content Consumption30:00 Evolution of Advertising Formats32:35 Programmatic Advertising Innovations35:15 Challenges for Publishers39:27 Future of Media and Content Delivery45:06 The Role of Publishers in a Changing Landscape