For decades, commissioning in legacy newsrooms was guided by instinct and tradition. But in a subscription-driven digital era, sustaining journalism meant proving value to readers. Too many resources were tied up in underperforming stories, while opportunities to amplify high-impact coverage were being missed. Through News UK, The Times and The Sunday Times needed a way to bring data into the heart of editorial culture without undermining journalistic judgement.
“This entry shows a really good end-to-end view of new ways of working with great metrics on real benefits.” – Judges’ comments
The breakthrough came with Times Editorial Data (TED), a bespoke reporting suite tailored for editors, not analysts. Built collaboratively by data and editorial teams, TED provides daily insight into story performance. Coupled with daily content reviews and weekly story quotas, it enabled a fundamental cultural shift: commissioning guided by evidence as well as experience.
The results are striking: a 46% drop in low-performing articles, more consistent high-impact output, and a newsroom where data is now a trusted, everyday tool. Judges recognised this as cultural change at scale and proof that even legacy newsrooms can embrace digital transformation to deliver high-value journalism.
