PressReader

{{short description|Digital newspaper distribution and technology company}}

{{Infobox company

| name = PressReader

| logo = PressReader horizontal logo.svg

| logo_size =

| location = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

| services = Digital newspaper & magazine publishing and distribution

| type = Private

| industry = Computer software

| website = {{url|https://pressreader.com}}

| founded = {{Start date and age|1999}} as NewspaperDirect
{{Nowrap|Richmond, British Columbia, Canada}}

| founder = Alexander Kroogman

| key_people = Ruairí Doyle (CEO)

| num_employees = 500

}}

PressReader is a digital newspaper distribution and technology company with headquarters in Vancouver, Canada and offices in Dublin, Ireland and Manila, Philippines.{{cite news |title=PressReader gains ground in Ireland as it officially opens Dublin office |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/pressreader-gains-ground-in-ireland-as-it-officially-opens-dublin-office-1.3292782 |date=2017-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921110633/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/pressreader-gains-ground-in-ireland-as-it-officially-opens-dublin-office-1.3292782 |archive-date=2023-09-21 |url-status=live |last1=Taylor |first1=Charlie |newspaper=The Irish Times}}{{cite web |title=PressReader's Alex Gruntsev: 'Make innovation a part of daily life' |url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/pressreader-alex-gruntsev |website=Silicon Republic |date=2017-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924011700/https://www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/pressreader-alex-gruntsev |archive-date=2023-09-24 |url-status=live |last1=Kennedy |first1=John}}

PressReader distributes digital versions of over 7,000 newspapers and magazines{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2019/04/pressreader-puts-7000-newspapers-and-magazines-in-your-pocket-logged-on.html|website=NJ.com|title=PressReader puts 7,000 newspapers and magazines in your pocket {{!}} Logged On |date=Apr 25, 2019 |first1= Troy |last1=Dreier |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240127173626/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2019/04/pressreader-puts-7000-newspapers-and-magazines-in-your-pocket-logged-on.html |archive-date= Jan 27, 2024 }} in more than 60 languages{{Cite web|url=https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2018/06/25/air-canada-sees-end-date-in-sight-for-onboard-newspapers/|title=Air Canada sees end date in sight for onboard newspapers|date=June 25, 2018|website=Runway Girl Network|first=Mary|last=Kirby |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028102350/https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2018/06/25/air-canada-sees-end-date-in-sight-for-onboard-newspapers/ |archive-date= Oct 28, 2021 }} through its applications for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and various e-readers as well as its website, and operates digital editions of newspapers and magazines for publishers, including The New York Times, The Financial Times,{{Cite web|url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/financial-times-launches-ft-digital-edition-app,245775|title=Financial Times launches FT Digital Edition app|last=Blinder|first=Mike|date= September 19, 2023|website=Editor and Publisher |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231203143904/https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/financial-times-launches-ft-digital-edition-app,245775 |archive-date= Dec 3, 2023 }} The Economist,{{Cite web|url=https://www.fipp.com/news/pressreader-and-the-economist-to-build-on-successful-partnership/|website=FIPP|title=PressReader and The Economist to build on successful partnership'|date=December 2, 2022|first= Pierre|last=de Villiers |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240204115740/https://www.fipp.com/news/pressreader-and-the-economist-to-build-on-successful-partnership/ |archive-date= Feb 4, 2024 }} The Wall Street Journal, The National Post and The Globe and Mail.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bcbusiness.ca/richmond-company-at-the-fore-of-digital-newspapers|title=Richmond Company at the Fore of Digital Newspapers|last=Bula|first=Frances|date= June 25, 2014|website=BCBusiness |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223230217/https://www.bcbusiness.ca/richmond-company-at-the-fore-of-digital-newspapers |archive-date= Dec 23, 2022 }}

History

Founded in 1999 as NewspaperDirect, the company started as a service for printing physical copies of newspapers, aimed at travelers who wished to read their home newspaper while staying in a hotel abroad,{{Cite web|url=https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/pressreader-leading-the-digital-charge-for-newspapers|title=PressReader Leading the Digital Charge for Newspapers|date=December 8, 2012|website=Good e-Reader |first1=Michael |last1=Kozlowski |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240313100833/https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/pressreader-leading-the-digital-charge-for-newspapers |archive-date= Mar 13, 2024 }} and launched a digital product in 2003.

In 2013, the company rebranded as PressReader.{{Cite web|url=http://www.talkingnewmedia.com/2015/12/18/digital-newsstand-and-ebook-app-updates-released-before-holiday-break/|title=Digital newsstand and eBook reader app updates released before the holiday break|date=December 18, 2015|website=Talking New Media |first1=D.B. |last1=Hebbard |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223230217/http://www.talkingnewmedia.com/2015/12/18/digital-newsstand-and-ebook-app-updates-released-before-holiday-break/ |archive-date= Dec 23, 2022 }}

In 2017, the company opened an office in Dublin, Ireland.

In August 2019, the company acquired News360, makers of the News360 personalized news app and NativeAI, an audience intelligence product for news publishers.{{cite web|title=PressReader aims to add more personalization to its digital news platform by acquiring News360|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/20/pressreader-acquires-news360/ |first1=Anthony |last1=Ha |work=TechCrunch|date=August 20, 2019|access-date=September 3, 2019}}

In 2022, PressReader announced the CEO succession. Ruairí Doyle was appointed chief executive officer; Alexander Kroogman transitioned to executive director.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/pressreader-announces-ceo-transition-873080602.html|title=PressReader announces CEO transition|date=October 19, 2022|website=Cision |publisher=Newswire |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240127174630/https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/pressreader-announces-ceo-transition-873080602.html |archive-date= Jan 27, 2024 }}

Products

= PressReader =

PressReader's eponymous product is an all-you-can-read newspaper and magazine subscription service, which costs $29.99 per month and grants access to all of the titles in the company's library via PressReader apps and website. The company partners with various hotels, airlines, cafes and other businesses which sponsor access to the service for their customers.{{cite web |title=Turkish Airlines offering passengers digital media perks |url=https://www.dailysabah.com/technology/2019/03/08/turkish-airlines-offering-passengers-digital-media-perks |website=Daily Sabah |date=2019-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010193119/https://www.dailysabah.com/technology/2019/03/08/turkish-airlines-offering-passengers-digital-media-perks |archive-date=2023-10-10 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://mobilesyrup.com/2017/05/10/bell-partners-pressreader-news-stories-customers-across-canada/|title=Bell partners with PressReader to bring news stories to customers across Canada|date=May 10, 2017|website=Mobile Syrup |first1=Bradly |last1=Shankar |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240316162808/https://mobilesyrup.com/2017/05/10/bell-partners-pressreader-news-stories-customers-across-canada/ |archive-date= Mar 16, 2024 }}

As of May 2019, PressReader has 12 million monthly active users.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fipp.com/news/features/fipp-brand-partnership-pressreader-deepens|title=FIPP's brand partnership with PressReader deepens|date=May 8, 2019|website=FIPP |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807230532/https://www.fipp.com/news/features/fipp-brand-partnership-pressreader-deepens |archive-date= Aug 7, 2019 }}

= Branded editions =

PressReader operates the digital editions of various newspapers and magazines on their websites and apps through a white-labeled platform called Branded Editions.

Partnerships

In October 2023, The New York Times Company (NYT) and PressReader announced a new partnership to further expand NYT's global presence through PressReader's network of channel partners spanning over 150 countries. PressReader has become the exclusive distributor of The New York Times Company's digital news products and digital replica editions to hotels, airlines, cruise and ferry lines, and non-U.S. public libraries.{{Cite web|url=https://mediamakersmeet.com/the-new-york-times-and-pressreader-announce-new-agreement-to-drive-global-distribution-and-reach-new-audiences/|title=The New York Times and PressReader announce new agreement to drive global distribution and reach new audiences|last=Walters|first=Jez|date= October 5, 2023|website=Media Maker Meet |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231112042821/https://mediamakersmeet.com/the-new-york-times-and-pressreader-announce-new-agreement-to-drive-global-distribution-and-reach-new-audiences/ |archive-date= Nov 12, 2023 }}

In August 2023, PressReader announced an expanded partnership with Gannett – the largest newspaper publisher in the U.S. and owner of USA Today.{{Cite web|url=https://biv.com/article/2023/08/bc-netflix-news-grows-global-media-deals|title=B.C. 'Netflix for news' grows with global media deals|last=Xiong|first=Daisy|date= August 21, 2023|website=Business In Vancouver |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231010193120/https://biv.com/article/2023/08/bc-netflix-news-grows-global-media-deals |archive-date= Oct 10, 2023 }}

In January 2023, PressReader became The Economist's exclusive digital distributor globally in public libraries, hotels, aviation, marine, and healthcare as part of an expansion of the two parties' strategic partnership. {{Cite web|url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/380327/the-economist-seeks-to-increase-digital-presence.html|title=The Economist' Seeks To Increase Digital Presence With PressReader Partnership|last=Schultz|first=RAY|date= December 3, 2022|website=Media Post}}

Cyber attack

On 3 March 2022 PressReader's web platform was blocked by a cyber attack and access to 7,000 publications, worldwide, was halted. The attack came just a few days after PressReader removed dozens of Russian newspapers from its catalogue. The company began to restore its services on 6 March.{{cite web |title=Updates for users |url=https://care.pressreader.com/hc/en-us/articles/4574344161172-Updates-for-users |publisher= PressReader |access-date=9 March 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Tamsin |title=Cyberattack blocks access to thousands of newspapers |url=https://euroweeklynews.com/2022/03/05/cyberattack-blocks-access-to-thousands-of-newspapers/ |work=EuroWeekly News |date=5 March 2022}}