Newsday is a legacy newspaper-turned-multiplatform news organization based on Long Island, New York, serving an audience with a strong local identity.
Since 2018, Newsday has used API’s Metrics for News analytics tool, which helps identify patterns across data sources and ways to align everyday coverage with long-term audience engagement that both serves their communities and contributes to their sustainability.
“We’ve found that data gives us the information we need to be successful. Applying that information and mixing it with smart strategy leads to strong results.”
— Rochell Bishop Sleets, Newsday
By using Metrics for News, Newsday:
- Uncovered audience enthusiasm for new beats and niche topics, which led to the creation of multiple content initiatives and staff positions.
- Increased subscriber acquisition and revenue year-over-year by developing content that provides Newsday audiences with the information they both want and need.
- Discovered how to make national news more relevant by identifying the intersecting local angle that connects each story to Long Island.
Making audience part of the daily conversation
Download API’s 2025 Impact Report.
Newsday had two primary goals when it brought MFN into its newsroom: build stronger data literacy and adopt data-informed decision-making to drive revenue. With MFN, data has become a critical part of how the Newsday team makes decisions and builds relationships with the Long Island community.
Consistency has been key to changing newsroom culture and adopting a new mindset. Metrics are talked about daily, brought into most meetings and expected to be part of everyone’s job.
Newsday describes MFN as helping the organization transition from “vanity metrics” to clear performance indicators that demonstrate subscriber satisfaction and identify avenues for continued growth.
From data to strategy
MFN metrics have enabled Newsday to track the content and stories that resonate most with its audience, leading to tangible results:
- 2023: Used the findings about audience interests to hire a reporter to cover restaurants and real estate, which led to nearly 25% growth in digital subscriber acquisition.
- 2024: Added seven positions to build out new content initiatives and coverage areas, informed by data on what content performs best: investigations, travel, state-wide news and breaking news.
- 2025: Doubled conversions on travel content by paying close attention to audience behaviors. This led to experimenting with hyperlocal travel stories (often using video), focusing on nostalgic travel angles that evoke special memories for residents and expanding coverage of Long Island’s growing MacArthur Airport.
“Heavily utilizing the data from Metrics for News has enabled us to grow our audience at a time when the economy is under pressure and people are less willing to pay for their news. We’ve found success by leaning into our understanding of who our audiences are and what they respond to.”
— Shawna VanNess, Newsday
This case study is part of API’s 2025 Impact Report. Read the full report here.
