Every now and then, I read something from a media veteran that feels like it’s aimed right at the big players — but still lands squarely in the lap of small and niche publishers. That’s exactly what happened with Chris Duncan’s upcoming keynote at the FIPP World Media Congress.
Duncan’s career is full of steering through storms — launching The Times on the iPad (when that was brand new territory), leading through COVID, and now advising on the AI tidal wave that’s hitting every corner of publishing. His core message? Publishing thrives in crisis.
Now, “thrives” might feel like a stretch if you’re running a three-person operation and trying to keep the lights on. But here’s where the small guys might actually have an edge: when the ground shifts under everyone, agility beats scale.
What small publishers should take away
1. AI isn’t just a newsroom curiosity — it’s a traffic problem.
Yes, AI tools can help you cut costs and automate grunt work. But Duncan’s warning is clear: generative AI could cut off more referral traffic than Google already has. For small publishers, that means you can’t afford to be a “search-dependent” business. Your audience has to remember you and seek you out.
2. Innovation isn’t optional.
He’s blunt: mobile journalism hasn’t seen much truly new since about 2012. That’s both sobering and exciting. If you’re a niche publisher, you don’t need to outspend The New York Times — you need to outthink them in your lane. That might mean interactive features, audio companions to your stories, or even an “insider’s app” for your core audience.
3. The platform era is shifting — be ready.
Duncan thinks we’re past the peak of Google and Meta’s dominance. That’s a rare window to build distribution without depending entirely on them. When big platforms are distracted by regulators and market shifts, you can make a move to deepen your direct audience connections.
Where to put your focus next
Here are three action items I think every small or niche publisher should put on their whiteboard after reading Duncan’s comments:
- Build direct audience pipelines.
Start or double down on newsletters, podcasts, private communities, or events. Make sure your readers’ path to your content doesn’t depend on an algorithm. - Test one “genuinely new” product feature in the next year.
Could be a micro-app, an interactive archive, or a new storytelling format. The goal is to prove you can innovate without waiting for the industry to hand you a playbook. - Scenario-plan for a search traffic cliff.
If your Google referrals dropped 50% tomorrow, how would you adapt? Do that planning now while you have the luxury of time.
Duncan’s not saying this will be easy — far from it. But he is saying that urgency forces experimentation, and experimentation is where breakthroughs happen. For small publishers, the trick is to use your speed, focus, and audience intimacy as weapons in this fight.
You may not have a “war room” of strategists, but you do have something the giants often lack: a direct line to a loyal audience that cares deeply about your coverage. That’s your moat. Guard it, grow it, and use this crisis moment to get a little scrappy.
If you want the full keynote preview, it’s worth a read: Publishers work best in some form of crisis.
Takeaway for the fridge:
Crisis is coming. The question is — will you let it happen to you, or will you make it work for you?