The Independent achieves record growth in the US

  • With 177 million page views and a 113% increase in page views per person, The Independent Brand is the most-read British-born digital newspaper1 in the US for onsite page views
  • In a polarized media landscape, readers are increasingly turning to The Independent for news they can trust

 

The Independent continues its remarkable US growth trajectory, with new Comscore data revealing that it is the most-read British-born newspaper news brand in the US for the third month running with 177 million page views (desktop and mobile). The title has also witnessed a staggering 75% year-on-year (YoY) audience increase, with 35.6 million unique visitors. It is the only British-born digital newspaper to sustain more than 35 million readers for the past three consecutive months.

Audience engagement has reached record levels, with readers averaging 4.99 pages per person—a 113% YoY and 6% month-on-month (MoM) rise. The publisher counted 177 million views in November, and ranks as the sixth largest digital newspaper news brand in the US2.

The Independent’s remarkable growth in unique visitors, with its 75% YoY uplift significantly outpacing the 7% YoY increase of the top 10 UK-established news brands in the US1, reflects its success in capturing attention with a distinctive independent voice and impactful, high-quality journalism.

Its popularity can be explained in part by the findings of an audience study released in 2024. The research3 ranked The Independent as the top news brand by US readers for: providing a balanced view of the world, having journalists working with integrity to get to the facts, holding power to account without fear or favor, being editorially independent from its owners, caring about the truth, being free of bias, and encouraging positive change.

Under the leadership of US Editor Louise Thomas, The Independent has bolstered its American editorial team and expanded its offerings with Independent TV and new lifestyle verticals, including travel and automotive. Projects such as The A-Word, a documentary exploring reproductive rights in America, exemplify the brand’s focus on addressing critical issues and engaging audiences through impactful storytelling across politics, culture and lifestyle.

2024 was a particularly successful year for The Independent globally. Highlights included 1 billion video views on The Independent site and 1 million purchases via its IndyBest shopping and consumer recommendation platform. Alongside its US accomplishments, the publisher is the largest commercial news brand in the UK.

Geordie Greig, Editor-in-Chief of The Independent said: “The Independent’s record growth and engagement within the US market reflects our dedication to high-quality, independent journalism. It’s hugely rewarding to see more readers turning to The Independent as a trusted source for neutral, non-partisan journalism. Being recognized as the most-read British news brand in the US highlights the extraordinary efforts of our editorial team, whose commitment to delivering fair, unbiased reporting continues to attract audiences seeking clarity in an increasingly polarized media landscape.”

Christian Broughton, CEO of The Independent, emphasized the brand’s strategic vision: “We are excited to see that The Independent is an essential destination for America at this critically important time. With so many platforms losing the trust of their readers and viewers, The Independent is more than ever dedicated to its mission of reporting the world as our journalists see it, free of dogma and distortion.”

Zach Leonard, The Independent’s COO and President, North America, concludes: “As The Independent continues to invest in digital storytelling, video journalism, and tailored content for US audiences, we are an increasingly relied upon voice in a competitive media landscape. These results underscore The Independent’s growing influence in the United States and stand as a testament to our commitment to high-quality journalism that speaks to a global, free-thinking audience.”

 

US readership metrics based on the US MMX Multi-Platform Data November 2024 Desktop 2+ and Total Mobile 18+ Traffic report reflecting desktop and mobile audience traffic YoY across the Independent’s custom defined list of the top 10 newspaper news brands2, inclusive of The Independent, The New York Times Brand, New York Post Network, USATODAY.COM, WASHINGTONPOST.COM, DAILYMAIL.CO.UK, THEGUARDIAN.COM, The Sun, LATIMES.COM and MIAMIHERALD.COM. The British born newspaper news brands1 include The Independent, THEGUARDIAN.COM, DAILYMAIL.CO.UK, The Sun, The Times, TELEGRAPH.CO.UK, EXPRESS.CO.UK, METRO.CO.UK, Mirror Online and STANDARD.CO.UK.

3Source:  BVA BDRC/ Work Research/The Independent, October 2023. Sample 1,000, Base: Readers of news brands in past month.

 

Subscribe to Insider

Sign up to receive Insider, Independent Advertising's newsletter.

Subscribe