2009 online revenue grew by 25.2 percent at Anglian news publisher Archant, which has become the latest outfit to have found a sunnier partly thanks to cost cuts.
Annual operating profit fell 32 percent from 2008 (to £15.1 million) on 19 percent lower income (of £142 million). But, after cutting 17 percent of costs (£26.1 million) from the business, July-to-December operating profit doubled from January-to-June, and was even up 11 percent from the same period in 2008.
Chairman Richard Jewson, announcing the results, credited “swift and decisive steps to reduce the cost base”. In truth, there are only so many costs that can be taken out of news businesses for sake of profit before fundamental structural changes show through once more.
Archant says monthly online uniques rose 36.6 percent through 2009 and page views by 19.2 percent.