– It's incredibly exciting. We have a very dedicated staff, and it's hard work that underpins our successes. We also have a strong relationship with our readers, and we are grateful for that, says Malin Christoffersson, editor-in-chief of Norran.
Since the spring of 2020, Norran has been part of NTM, Norrköpings Tidningar, one of Sweden's largest local journalism conglomerates. In total, it comprises 19 daily newspapers, including Piteå-Tidningen, NSD, Norrbottens-kuriren, Corren, Norrköpings Tidningar, and Upsala Nya Tidning. Skellefteå's free newspaper, Megafonen, is also part of NTM.
In 2023, Norran increased its number of subscribers by 300 compared to 2022. The total number of subscribers is now 19,400, half of which are fully digital. The proportion of digital subscribers is the highest in NTM, while overall reader revenue is increasing and digital reach is also expanding.
Norran receives approximately 3 million page views per week, which is the highest in NTM. In addition, Norran has set a new NTM record for weekly traffic this year. The newspaper also has the most engaged readers in the group (based on how often readers visit the site and how much news is consumed during each visit).
– It is tough in the media industry in general, but Norran's results stand out, and we are proud of what we have achieved in the past year. This means we have even better prospects of continuing to deliver first-class local journalism in 2024, says Malin.
In addition to its conventional Swedish-language news coverage, Norran launched Norran English in 2023. The English-language subsite publishes news in English, with the aim of integrating the thousands of new residents of Skellefteå, who do not yet speak Swedish, into the local community.
– The initiative is unique in its kind and has resonated throughout the Swedish media landscape. We have received positive feedback from individuals, companies, and local authorities, and the plan is to continue developing Norran English next year.
The Editorial Team of the Year award is presented by NTM's management team and the citation reads as follows:
"With results at the absolute top of NTM, Norran is the title everyone wants to emulate. It is the most engaging title because it always takes the concerns of the people of Skellefteå seriously and also dares to invest in completely new ways of reaching readers. Even though the numbers are high and hard to beat, they are growing every year - both in readership and in the total number of subscribers."