Our newsrooms have shifted focus to subscriber attention time at the beginning of 2025, sparking lots of questions from journalists. The most common one was whether this simply meant writing longer articles. The answer to that was a definite no. The project focused relentlessly on getting people reading and keeping them reading. To achieve this, we aim for the best mix of quality content, presented to subscribers in the right format and at the right time. 

The phrase “signature journalism” might be relatively new, but the concept is not. The Irish Independent was among the first newsrooms in the Mediahuis family to hold a Signature Journalism Week, in which we laid everything we do on the table and asked ourselves: is this valuable content that readers are willing to pay for and spend time with? The result was a well-thought-out story planning process that reflects what is unique about the Irish Independent. We are big on politics, sport and crime but need to do less in other areas.  

In June, we hit an exciting milestone as Mediahuis Ireland reached 100,000 digital subscribers. Growing from zero to 100,000 in five years allows us to be confident that our news brands are not only trusted, they are essential. Our titles lead the way in reach and relevance, reflecting the enduring value of independent Irish journalism. 

Strengthening transparency and trust at the Irish Independent and Belfast Telegraph has been a priority for several years. To build on this and enhance our approach, we partnered with the Trust Project, a US-based journalism standards organisation. The process took over a year, sparked robust debate among editors and journalists, and led to some challenging internal reflection. It ultimately deepened our understanding of what our audience expects from us. 

As a result, we introduced several new measures. Readers can now more easily find information about how to contact us and give feedback. We provide clearer details about who is behind our stories, with expanded journalist profiles. We also explain more about how we work, including the ethics and policies that guide our reporting. Our corrections policy has been updated, and we’re committed to acknowledging mistakes clearly and rectifying them quickly.  

We were proud to receive the Trust Mark in late 2025, but our work doesn’t stop there. We will continue to enhance our transparency practices and strengthen the integrity of our journalism. 

A breakout year for podcasting

Our podcasting reached a new level in 2025. Listens increased by 60%, while podcast-video views rose by an impressive 200%, reflecting a clear shift in how audiences consume audio content. 

This unprecedented growth was driven partly by an expanded and more diverse slate. Two new shows quickly found their audience: Just Between Us with Jennifer Zamparelli, exploring sex and relationships, and Indo Money with Katie Byrne, focused on personal finance. At the same time, our commitment to signature journalism translated into powerful special episodes and miniseries – including Groomed, Evil Eye, Under The Grill and The DJ Carey Story – bringing new eyes and ears to our content.   

Investment in infrastructure also played a clear role. Two new modular studios enabled high-end video production, opening the door to a growing YouTube audience and positioning us for further expansion in 2026. We also took podcasts beyond the studio, launching successful live Indo Sport shows across Ireland. Meanwhile, flagship shows including Crime World, Indo Sport and the Indo Daily consistently ranked in the top 10 in the podcast charts.  

The year ended with significant recognition. Indo Sport and the Indo Daily won two All-Ireland Podcast Awards, the BelTel was honoured at the British Podcast Awards, and Crime World was named Ireland’s number one show by Apple Podcasts.