The publishing world has changed more in the last decade than perhaps in the century before it. Print revenue continues to plummet, while digital-first players battle for fleeting reader attention and advertising budgets. Amid this evolution, one truth stands out: technology isn’t just a support function – it’s the backbone of survival. How to get media tech done right, based on our real-world examples? Check out right here in this article.
At Q, we’ve seen this firsthand – not just in code, but in conversations with clients trying to navigate declining trust, changing consumption habits, and the brutal economics of digital media. So here’s what we’ve learned from working with some of the UK’s biggest names in publishing and how those lessons can be applied across the industry.
Case 1: From Print Legacy to Lifestyle Brand – The Times Travel
When The Times launched a digital travel vertical, it wasn’t just chasing clicks. It was crafting a new monetization path—turning readers into travellers and building a bridge between editorial credibility and commercial content.
By merging sleek UX, SEO best practices, and robust backend infrastructure, we helped NewsUK achieve a 15% revenue increase from this new arm. But the deeper takeaway? Editorial-led commerce isn’t a side hustle anymore—it’s a core business model.
Case 2: The Sun’s Secret Weapon? Speed.
In the attention economy, milliseconds matter. The Sun, reaching 30+ million monthly users, knew that platform performance was inseparable from audience retention. Together, we built and continuously improved a high-performance publishing engine—balancing complexity with speed.
The insight here: A sluggish CMS or publishing workflow isn’t just annoying — it’s a traffic killer.
Case 3: When Public Health Meets Public Platforms – BBC Pandemic
Pre-COVID, few imagined that a mobile app could meaningfully simulate pandemic spread. But that’s exactly what we built with Big Motive and the BBC. Over 100,000 users participated in what became the UK’s #1 medical app at the time.
This wasn’t just tech for tech’s sake – it was about building public trust through responsible data design (anonymity, access control, etc.). For publishers considering citizen science or data-led storytelling, the lesson is clear: tech ethics matter.
Case 4: Waterbear – Where Storytelling Sparks Action
For Waterbear, impact wasn’t measured in page views, but in actions taken. What we did was making their discovery experience and user content personalisation much smoother. This includes both their documentaries and the core of Waterbear’s mission — environmental protection.
So what’s the key takeaway? Today’s users don’t just consume content, they want to do something with it. Publishers who bake in purpose, not just personalisation, will build deeper loyalty.
The Bigger Picture
If you’re in publishing today, you’re not just in media – you’re in product, community, and experience. The difference between success and stagnation often lies in the invisible layer between the content and the user: the technology. And this is how the media tech is done right.
But that layer isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why we believe in custom solutions, grounded in business goals, and flexible enough to adapt as those goals evolve.
Curious how these strategies could apply to your platform?
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ABOUT AUTHOR
Kosh Pavic
Event & Communications Specialist
