By Luke Magerko, Director of Consulting at Mather
July 23rd, 2025
While many newsrooms are grappling with declining digital traffic and shrinking resources, the Bangor Daily News (BDN) is showing that growth is still possible — with the right strategy, focus, and tools in place.
In the second session of our Benchmarking Webinar Series, “Turning Insights into Action: Incentivizing Performance in Modern Newsrooms,” Mather’s Luke Magerko sat down with BDN Executive Editor Dan MacLeod to explore how the newsroom leverages real-time audience insights and clear performance metrics to make smarter editorial decisions and increase impact.
Whether you missed the session or want to revisit it with your team, you can find the recording below along with a summary of key takeaways.
Punching Above the Weight
Based in a top 300 metro market, BDN has consistently punched well above its weight, ranking among the top 100 brands in Mather’s benchmarking—a remarkable achievement given its relatively small geographic reach.
At a time when many news organizations faced steep visitor declines in early 2025, BDN defied the trend, posting an 8.5% growth in Q1 and a striking 25% surge in Q2. June alone marked a standout moment, with a 46% year-over-year jump in visitors, catapulting BDN into the top 10 performers within its peer group.
Image 1: BDN is outperforming the industry in year-over-year visitor growth
Editorial Focus: Engagement Over Everything
Dan MacLeod shared that the newsroom revolves around one core metric: engaged pageviews. This KPI goes beyond surface-level numbers to capture meaningful audience actions—like frequent visits, deep scrolling, and time spent—that reflect true reader value and revenue potential. With a clear weekly target of 250,000 engaged pageviews, every editorial decision is measured by its ability to move the needle toward this goal, keeping the team focused and aligned.
Image 2: Although BDN is growing in real numbers, depth and frequency remain strong
A Philosophy Rooted in Purpose
BDN’s editorial ethos is refreshingly straightforward: “A story should create impact or draw an audience. If it doesn’t do either, don’t do it.” That clarity has helped align the newsroom around stories that matter—whether it’s civic journalism from their investigative unit Maine Focus or surprise hits like a local zoning dispute with a colorful twist. Evergreen content, quick-hit stories, and watchdog investigations all contribute—so long as they support either civic mission or reader interest.
Image 3: Bangor Daily News is committed to its civic mission, delivering vital community coverage that reaches the widest audience.
Testing, Iterating, and Scaling
One of BDN’s biggest breakthroughs came from launching a dedicated housing beat. What started as a quick two-month experiment soon revealed housing stories as the newsroom’s top performers. This early success sparked a formal reshaping of beats and a stronger commitment to local housing coverage.
Dan attributes this rapid learning and adaptation to BDN’s growth mindset:
“We double down on what works. If something doesn’t, we drop it—and move on.”
Image 4: Examples of BDN’s Top Performing Housing Stories
Team Incentives Backed by Data
A cornerstone of BDN’s success has been its innovative newsroom incentive system, developed in partnership with Mather’s Fractional Leadership service. Working closely with Mather’s Fractional Chief Strategy Officer, Arvid Tchivzhel, BDN introduced quarterly performance bonuses tied directly to engaged pageview growth. Starting with a 10% growth target in Q1 and rising to 15% in Q2, clear goals are set at both the byline and desk levels, with rewards for teams that meet or surpass them.
Performance data flows regularly, empowering editors to translate newsroom-wide targets into individual reporter goals. As Arvid puts it, “What gets measured, gets improved.” Though still evolving, this approach is already driving motivation and fostering stronger alignment between editorial and audience teams.
Discover how BDN partnered with Mather to drive a bold strategic reset—click here to explore the full story.
Looking Ahead
Despite a strong forecast for 2025, Dan MacLeod is realistic about the road ahead. Facing tough year-over-year comparisons and the broader challenges facing the industry, BDN knows that standing still isn’t an option. Continued experimentation, smart hiring, and fresh initiatives like premium newsletters and video will be critical to their success.
As Dan reminds us, “We’re in an industry in decline. Staying ahead means constantly adapting to keep local news alive.” It’s this commitment to evolution that will define BDN’s path forward—and offer a blueprint for other newsrooms navigating uncertain times.
