Newspaper Revenue: How Print Media Still Makes Money in 2025

When people say newspapers are dying, they’re only half right. Newspaper revenue, the income newspapers generate from sales, ads, subscriptions, and donations. Also known as print media income, it’s dropped sharply—but it hasn’t vanished. In the UK, print circulation has halved since 2014, yet some titles still pull in billions. How? It’s not about selling more papers. It’s about changing who pays and how.

The big shift? Reader revenue, money coming directly from subscribers and donors, not advertisers. The Guardian, for example, gets 64% of its income from readers. That’s not a fluke—it’s a strategy. They stopped chasing clicks and started building trust. People pay when they believe in the mission. Meanwhile, print media UK, physical newspapers and magazines still circulating in Britain. aren’t just relics. Luxury brands pay top dollar to advertise in them because their readers are engaged, wealthy, and untouched by algorithm-driven noise. A single full-page ad in The Times or The Financial Times can cost thousands—even as digital ads crash in value.

It’s not just about big names. Local papers survive by becoming community hubs. They sell event listings, offer paid newsletters, host town halls, and partner with small businesses for sponsored content. Some even run membership programs where readers get exclusive access to reporters or behind-the-scenes briefings. The newspaper revenue model that wins isn’t the one with the biggest circulation—it’s the one with the most loyal audience. And that’s exactly what you’ll find in the posts below: real examples of how papers are adapting, who’s thriving, and why the old rules no longer apply.