Online News Companies – Are They Private and Secure?

One of the few sectors that never goes out of demand is news. Be it weather forecast to local news, political condition to financial markets, scientific discovery to the latest situation around the world – news really brings the entire world in our drawing-room. From broadcasting channels in radio and TV to print media including magazines and newspapers and digital online news content – one can access news via numerous channels.

With the increasing popularity of news channels (both online and offline), many new companies are springing up. While some are becoming successful, many are relying on hoax, gossip, and stuff like celebrity wardrobe malfunction. In today’s world when fake news and rumor are giving rise to violence and riot, it’s important to select the right news companies. These companies strive really hard to convey the right message to the audience and make people aware of the contemporary situation without any bias. We will discuss some of the leaders by market share in the online news space.

We know that these companies are highly profitable enterprises, but where do their profits come from? The answer is advertising. Advertising developed from targeted information that they collect from users. Online advertising often conjures images of adult companies sending emails to “meet local milfs” or buy a product promising other worldly results that are easy to ignore and place in the digital trash bin. However, more often than not we are exposed to advertisements that are laser targeted and placed in ways that don’t set off the radar of smarter, jaded consumers. These online news companies are some of the largest purveyors of such ads.

News Corp

Market share – $7.48 billion

One of the most diversified media and information service providing companies is News Corp. Rupert Murdoch split the News Corporation into two agencies – 21st Century Fox and News Corp. That’s how the company came into existence.

News Corp, with its four additional segments like book publishing, digital real estate service, cable network programming, and other paid television and online services, focuses mainly on information service and news.

Some of its famous brands include Fox sports, Harper Collins publishers, Herald Sun, The Sun, The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, The Times, and others.

The New York Times Company

Market share – $4.21 billion

The New York Times is a global media and marketing company that operates mainly on its own digital platforms. Its journalistic service is provided by the reputed brands like The New York Times International Edition, The New York Times, and NYTimes.com.

Tribune Media Co

Market share – $3.39 billion

Tribune media is one of the renowned diversified broadcasting companies that offer sports programming, entertainment and news both on digital media and television. It operates in over 45 TV stations and its popular programme WGN America reaches more than 85 million houses! The company also has share on diverse fields including classified ventures, TV food network, mashable and other media businesses.

Daily Mail and General Trust

Market share – $2.82 billion

This UK based company DMGT (Daily mail and general trust) is established back in 1922 and got listed on the renowned London Stock Exchange. It owns numerous radio stations, television, and newspapers. It has a great presence across DMG information and DMG world events, entertainment, and data analytics.

E.W.Scripps

Market share – $1.38 billion

E.W. Scripps or SSP is a significantly large media company founded back in the year of 1878. It has a presence across various national and local digital media sites, newspapers, and TV stations.

Its business has three distinct streams including content syndication, television, and newspapers. Also, its stream includes Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Gannett Co Inc

Market share – $1.12 billion

GCI or Gannett Co Inc is a reputed media information and news company that has a presence across digital, publishing, and broadcasting platforms. Its most famous brand is USA Today. Its publishing segment runs across 80 publications, broadcasting segment runs over 45 TV stations, and it has more than 420 non daily local publications. The company also provides online HR software service and digital marketing solution.

Daily Journal Corporation

Market share: $325.86 million

DJCo or Daily Journal works as a journalistic service provider thorough digital media and print. It primarily operates in Arizona and California. Some of its well known brands include the following: The Orange County Reporter, The Daily Recorder, The San Francisco Daily Journal, The Los Angeles Daily Journal, The Intercity Express, Daily Commerce, The Record Reporter, Business Journal.

A.H. Belo Corporation

Market share – $98.83 million

AHC or A.H. Belo Corporation focuses mainly on local newspapers like The Denton Record Chronicle, The Providence Journal, The Dallas Morning News, and others. Also, the company releases various audience-specific publications.

The McClatchy Company

Market share – $54.58 million

MNI or The McClatchy Company has over 30 daily and non daily newspapers, digital publications, and web portals. It also provides ad service in 29 markets in the United States. Some of their popular brands include The Raleigh News & Observer, The Kansas City Star, the Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee, the Fort Worth Star Telegram, and so on.

So, you got a clear insight which companies own which publication house. The curious part is that some of the leading (or to say, rival) publication houses belong to the same company! When you start to dig deeper into the data and information that these platforms collect from their subscribers you start to uncover more. Some of these platforms collect very specific and often sensitive information from their users and subscribers. Many outlets, including the documentary The Great Hack, have shown us just how vulnerable our personal information can be when we turn them over to some of these companies.

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