The Independent is the fastest growing UK news brand in the US

  • The publication is also the second fastest growing of all top 10 news brands in the US 
  • The news comes as The Independent intensifies its focus on US and global expansion

 

New data has been released by US Comscore*, which reveals the audience sizes of news brands in the US. 

It shows another impressive month of growth for The Independent, as the publication doubles down on its US business focus. 

 

July US highlights 

 

  •  The Independent was the fastest growing UK news brand in the US YoY (year on year), up +44%, with an additional 7.4m readers
  • The Independent was the second fastest growing title of the top 10 news brands in the US YoY, beating the likes of NY Post Network, The New York Times, USA Today, washingtonpost.com, dailymail.co.uk, theguardian.com and LA Times
  • The Independent is now the ninth largest digital news brand in the US 
  • The Independent is the largest pureplay news brand, with 24.2m readers 
  • Indy100 also had significant YoY growth – up +211% to 3.3m. 

 

The publication of these results follows this week’s announcement that Christian Broughton has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of The Independent, whilst Zach Leonard will move from CEO to a new US-based role of Global Chief Operating Officer and President, North America. The two appointments establish a leadership team for a fresh phase of global expansion, alongside Editor-in-Chief Geordie Greig (former editor of the Daily Mail), who joined The Independent at the start of this year. 

Leonard, who has led the company’s remarkable growth trajectory since 2010, will head audience and revenue growth in the US, the world’s largest and most competitive media market. The Independent is further building resources in the US, with 75 staff by the end of this year, across editorial, commercial, content partnerships, marketing and operations.  

Zach Leonard, Global COO of Independent Digital News Media, comments: “I look forward to developing The Independent brand, business, audience and influence in North America, at a time where Independent values – particularly trust and objectivity – are desperately needed. Our unique digital transformation and growth strategies are starting to take hold in the region, and will flourish with more dedicated senior leadership on the ground. I am thrilled also to hand the CEO reins to such a talented successor in Christian upon whom I have depended for more than a decade, and who lives and breathes The Independent.” 

The Independent’s US Editor Katie Davies remarks: “These incredible numbers show the appetite for The Independent’s journalism in the US and the strength of our editorial team. I am so proud of the work that our editors and reporters do every single day, and the figures prove that we are now the go-to brand for trustworthy US news. Watching our reach and recognition growing faster than the competition is hugely exciting, and we’re thrilled to have Zach join us on the next stage of our journey.”

Geordie Greig, The Independent’s Editor-in-Chief, adds: “The Independent always aimed to be faster and defter than its competitors and always sharply focused on journalism that wields influence and great reach.  This powerful new result in America is a tribute to what the Independent does as a global brand with its constant quest to be the best and to lead.  Great kudos for Katie and our US team.  And watch this space with our new global COO Zach ready to turbocharge us even more.”

The Independent has been at the front line of journalism since its launch in the UK in 1986, with its purpose to challenge, debate and make change happen way ahead of its time. In the UK, it remains the largest quality digital news brand and in 2016, was the first of the quality news brands to become fully digital. Now publishing from 12 countries and in six languages, and with a network of global correspondents, The Independent is a truly global news organisation.  

*Source: Comscore US July 2023 Multi-Platform (Desktop 2+ and Total Mobile 18+). Top US News Brands: NYPost Network, The New York Times Brand, USAToday, washingtonpost.com, dailymail.co.uk, theguardian.com, LA Times, independent.co.uk, miamiherald.com. Top UK Newsbrands in the US: dailymail.co.uk, theguardian.com, the-sun.com, independent.co.uk, mirror online, express.co.uk, telegraph.co.uk, Times Online, metro.co.uk, standard.co.uk

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