How do you turn a niche publication into a must-have industry platform?
In this episode of Insight Shapes News by Kilkaya, host Nils Ove Håland Riise speaks with Tom Seaman, founder and editor-in-chief of Undercurrent News — a B2B media company covering the global seafood industry.
With over 70% of its revenue coming from subscriptions. But the real story? Undercurrent went beyond content — building pricing platforms, trade data tools, and a product-led approach that drives value and retention.
🎧 Topics we cover:
How Undercurrent grew a global audience in a specialized market
The evolution from newsroom to data-driven publishing and combining it
Why B2B subscriptions are thriving (and how to sell them)
Editorial and sales working together (yes, really)
What it takes to build lasting value in niche media
And yes — Tom answers the question: “How much is the fish?”
If you work in digital publishing, subscriptions, product, B2B media, or newsroom innovation — this episode is packed with strategies, learnings, and a few laughs along the way.
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🎧 Subscribe to Insight Shapes News for conversations on the future of journalism, product thinking, and the strategies shaping the news industry.
Chapters:
00:00 Trends and Challenges in the Global Seafood Market
03:00 Building a Niche Media Powerhouse
05:56 The Vision Behind Undercurrent News
09:11 Understanding the Seafood Sector
11:55 Balancing Coverage: Comprehensive vs. In-Depth
15:08 The Shift to Subscription Revenue
17:53 Sales Strategy and Customer Engagement
21:07 The Importance of Data in Seafood Reporting
24:02 Developing a Pricing Portal
27:04 Challenges in Data Collection
29:56 The Future of Seafood Data Services
34:40 Navigating the Seafood Sector's Complexity
39:23 The Art of Data-Driven Storytelling
43:28 Editorial Decision-Making in Journalism
49:36 Building a Global Journalism Team
53:00 Hiring for Expertise vs. Talent
58:16 Lessons from Building a Niche Media Company
01:05:49 The Future of Journalism in an AI World
#B2BMedia #NicheMedia #DigitalPublishing #Subscriptions #Journalism #SeafoodIndustry #MediaInnovation #AudienceStrategy #NewsroomTransformation
