A number of trends in media have left most news sites catering to a new kind of reader. According to the stereotype, this reader doesn’t visit news home pages, relying on starting points like Facebook instead. This reader sees news as just another category of entertainment, an escape or time-killer, and believes “important news will find me”, not the other way around. News sites modeled on this reader are pressured to produce ever more content and expand well past their core competency, even when they start with a clear focus and dedicated readership. While all these generalizations do represent real changes in the way many encounter news, they ignore the abundance of news readers who still have specific informational needs arising from career goals and identity. The kind of reader who would make a point to devour The Economist cover to cover, or scan The Wall Street Journal’s B-section each weekday. These purpose-driven readers rely on comprehensive, yet well-curated collections of news to update their perspective on their field, because their field is constantly changing.
Nice framing there. “Trade press,” as it were, except the best possible meaning of that.