Liverpool Echo
From January 2021 to October 2022 we saw 24% page view growth on our sites with the figure rising to 49% for non-sport content and 74% for news. Live reporting remains a real Liverpool Echo strength as we deliver fast and reliable news and sport to our growing audience while providing content streams that inform, inspire and entertain. We have a track record in covering big breaking news stories and there has been no shortage over the past 22 months including the taxi bombing outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital, the fatal stabbing of 12-year-old Ava White and a government takeover of our council. The past year was, of course, dominated by the death of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel who was shot dead in her own home, and our live coverage ran throughout the night as we reported on this most harrowing of tragedies. We also used our digital platforms to support our Whose Side Are You On campaign launched in the aftermath of Olivia’s murder to articulate the voice of our online audience and to urge people to share information with police placing the Echo at the heart of the appeal. Video is central to our coverage and its relevance was amplified with the chaos outside the Stade de France ahead of Liverpool’s Champion League final with our reporter reporting live from Paris and giving our online audience the trusted news it expects and deserves. The next day we provided comprehensive coverage of the LFC parade through Liverpool city centre using live blog formatting, social live video and break-out content to prove the best possible reporting for fans all over the globe. Long-form content has become an increasingly important part of our content mix as we seek to drive engagement on our platforms and grow our loyal audience. Our dedicated public interest reporter went to Cumbria to see the impact of county lines drug dealing and investigated the figureheads behind the covid denial movement. We also appointed a dedicated regeneration reporter to oversee our city region coming out of lockdown with our dedicated journalist also penning a daily newsletter charting the important news in our city region. And, of course, we use our platform to celebrate all that is brilliant about Merseyside from in-depth coverage of the first Grand National festival since covid to the city winning the bid to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Encouraging pride in our city region is an important part of our ethos. And while the Liverpool Echo remains wholeheartedly committed to public service journalism, we are an unashamedly populist brand and shopping, fashion, TV and showbiz are important content streams. Affiliate content is an increasingly important part of our revenue stream with reviews and shopping stories popular with an audience attached to our brand.