From news to experience: the evolution of the subscription
More than just news
We are taking a major step in transforming subscription models with what we call “the essential subscription”. By offering our readers a broader package of benefits and services, we aim to make a news subscription as essential as a streaming or internet subscription. For example, subscribers to De Standaard and NRC gain access to The New York Times, which has been a significant inspiration for our model.
But it goes beyond just news. Think of exclusive content and products focused on personal development or relaxation, such as online masterclasses and e-books. Through this richer, more personalised experience, we attract new subscribers and strengthen relationships with existing ones.
“We don’t just want subscribers to spend more time with our content; we also want to ensure that time is well spent,” says Matthijs van de Peppel, Group B2C Strategy Director, who is spearheading the subscription expansion.
“We want Mediahuis journalism to exist 100 or 200 years from now. That means we must also focus on revenue generation”
The strategy also addresses a phenomenon known as subscription fatigue: too many subscriptions can lead to a sense of overload, as Marith Zwarts, Director B2C at NRC, explains: “People want to spend their time on what truly matters to them. By adding more value to a single subscription, we make it easier for them to choose ours.”
“We are competing with social media, streaming services and other platforms that increasingly avoid linking to news sites because they want to keep visitors on their own platforms,” Matthijs adds. “We want to maintain a direct relationship with our audience by providing more reasons to visit our apps and websites. This is crucial for our business model.”
RouteYou: Millions of cycling and hiking routes for subscribers
In recent years, walking and cycling have surged in popularity as healthy leisure activities. This trend is reflected in the growing demand for recreational navigation apps. Founded in 2005 and now part of Mediahuis, RouteYou is one of the pioneers in this field. With over 10 million routes, 4.5 million points of interest and 15 million unique visitors per year, RouteYou offers an unparalleled combination of inspiration and ease of use.
Subscribers of the Belgian news titles Het Nieuwsblad, De Standaard, Gazet van Antwerpen and Het Belang van Limburg, as well as the Dutch title De Limburger, receive unlimited free access to the paid version of RouteYou. This includes all premium features such as offline navigation, voice instructions and personalised routes. Since last year, they have been able to access these features via the new user-friendly app for iOS and Android.
The integration of RouteYou into the Mediahuis offering goes even further. Newspapers regularly feature articles with walking and cycling tips, and the carefully selected routes can be accessed and saved directly in the RouteYou app – seamlessly connecting reading with real-life experiences.
With RouteYou, Mediahuis invites its readers to get outdoors and discover new places. The platform not only enhances subscriber engagement but also encourages an active and healthy lifestyle.
A three-layered model
The implementation of the new subscription will vary across Mediahuis brands. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, but the structure remains the same. Independent journalism is at the core – the first layer – featuring in-depth analysis, investigative reports and relevant news stories that inform readers and help them better understand the world.
The second layer provides practical guidance and context for daily life. This is what we call service journalism: tips and advice that address practical questions or needs. This could be explanations of complex topics such as solar panel regulations or personalised recommendations on culture, finance, health or parenting. This helps consumers make better choices and gain more control over multiple aspects of their lives.
The third layer consists of practical and enriching services that add extra value to the subscription. Examples include e-books, walking and cycling routes via RouteYou, puzzles and masterclasses. This allows subscribers to do more, experience more and learn more. Together, these three layers form a comprehensive and future-proof subscription model that meets the needs of modern consumers.
Truly understanding the reader
Customisation is a key aspect of our new subscription strategy. Through data analysis and qualitative research, we aim to better understand what subscribers want. This enables us to develop services tailored to specific brands and audiences. De Standaard and NRC provide their subscribers access to The New York Times, while De Standaard, Nieuwsblad, Gazet van Antwerpen, Het Belang van Limburg and De Limburger integrate with RouteYou.
“The identity of our brands and their subscribers is central,” says Marith. “At NRC, everything revolves around depth and analysis, while other titles create a valuable subscription experience in their own unique ways. Understanding your audience’s needs allows you to determine what additional value you can offer them.”
“Our user data provides direction but not ready-made answers. It’s up to us to interpret the data intelligently”
Gaining insight into what subscribers – and potential subscribers – want is crucial, she says. “We have a strong connection with our existing subscribers and invest in understanding the desires and needs of non-subscribers. Our user data provides direction but not ready-made answers. It’s up to us to interpret that data intelligently.”
The enriched subscriptions also help Mediahuis remain a destination for consumers. Marith: “We must ensure that people continue visiting our platforms – whether it’s for a news article, a podcast, a puzzle or a walking route.”
Plus: Five newspapers, one subscription
What if we gave our subscribers access not just to their own newspaper but to all of our titles? That’s exactly what we do with Plus – a concept designed to meet readers’ need for broader information and inspiration, without barriers. Since November 2022, subscribers of De Standaard, Het Nieuwsblad, De Gentenaar, Gazet van Antwerpen and Het Belang van Limburg have been able to read the Plus articles from four other Belgian Mediahuis titles free of charge and without limits.
“The launch wasn’t without challenges,” says Koen Meeusen, Sales & Care Director B2C at Mediahuis België. “For example, we initially didn’t have a ‘single sign-on’ solution, meaning users had to log in again for each title to access Plus. That changed in 2024 with the implementation of Auth0, a new login and registration system that streamlines our readers’ and subscribers’ digital access to our news brands.”
The results speak for themselves. Today, Plus accounts for no less than 20% of our pageviews. We’ve also seen a clear increase in reading time: subscribers stay engaged longer and discover more content that interests them. 80% of our subscribers see Plus as added value, and for 40%, it’s even a reason to keep their subscription.
Plus reinforces our ambition to offer an attractive digital package to both current and future subscribers, enriching our journalistic offering.
Discover what our colleagues and subscribers think of Plus:
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Time well spent
Success always comes with challenges. One of them is speed. Due to the complex systems we use across different countries, it can take time to implement new services and technologies. Understanding non-subscribers is also a challenge.
“The millions of visitors who browse our platforms daily without logging in represent enormous potential,” Matthijs says, “but we often don’t know who they are or exactly what they’re looking for. Here, too, data provides the solution.”
Creating a sustainable and future-proof model for journalism is the ultimate goal. “We want Mediahuis journalism to exist 100 or 200 years from now,” says Matthijs. “That means combining our journalistic mission with a strong focus on revenue generation.”
The new subscription experience is an important step in our evolution as a digital media company. We are not only strengthening our bond with readers but also securing our position in a rapidly changing media landscape. In a world where attention is scarce, everything revolves around “time well spent” – whether through exclusive content, practical extras or in-depth journalism.
