A New Era for News Advertising: Lessons from Warsaw
Courtesy: Grzegorz Piechota
WARSAW — As the Google CEE Publishers Summit unfolded at the beautifully repurposed vodka distillery that now houses the Google for Startups Campus, over 100 media executives from across 13 countries gathered to answer a crucial question: How can news publishers grow their advertising revenue again?
In my keynote, I urged publishers to build on the momentum they’ve already created through subscriptions and direct audience relationships.
“Publishers have rebuilt trust and connections with their audiences — now it’s time to apply that same energy and expertise to advertising.”
The age of AI and the booming creator economy are reshaping how content is produced and monetized. That transformation was front and center in Warsaw, where panels explored collaboration with creators, smarter use of programmatic buying, and the untapped potential of advertising behind paywalls.
New research by The Nunatak Group for Google, presented by Anastasia Sanselzon, reinforced this opportunity:
Only 5% of subscribers want to pay extra for ad-free content
75% of publishers see no increase in churn from showing ads to subscribers
Ads behind paywalls deliver 23% higher CPMs and account for 22% of ad revenue
“The notion that subscribers hate ads is a myth — in reality, most accept them, especially when ads are relevant and respectful.”
U.S. innovators like Dotdash Meredith and The New York Times are already proving what’s possible. With AI-powered contextual advertising, they’re showing that personalization and performance can coexist with premium content.
“Just as The Times led the paywall revolution in 2010, it may now be leading a renaissance in digital advertising. It’s a playbook worth watching — and replicating.”
Publishers already have what they need: user data, trust, targeting capabilities, and the ability to create valuable content environments. What’s needed now is the will to innovate.
“Let’s stop thinking of ads as intrusive. Done right, they’re part of the product — and part of the solution to sustainable journalism.”
Thanks to Google — and especially Adrian Pawłowski and Maria Zhdanova — for organizing this inspiring and action-oriented summit.
“This is our moment. Let’s not just rebuild advertising. Let’s reinvent it — on our own terms.”
About Grzegorz Piechota:
Grzegorz “Greg” Piechota is Researcher-In-Residence at the International News Media Association (INMA) and a former fellow at Harvard and Oxford universities. He studies technology-enabled disruption across industries, focusing on business model innovation in the news media.
With over 20 years of experience as a media executive, Greg began his journalism career at Gazeta Wyborcza in Poland, eventually becoming a news editor and vice-president of the Agora Foundation. His research at Harvard Business School explored digital business models, while his Oxford project analyzed how digital platforms impact paid content models.
He co-authored the book Unlocking the Customer Value Chain with Prof. Thales Teixeira (Harvard Business School), published by Penguin Random House in 2019. Greg serves on several media and tech company boards, including The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (London), Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation (Warsaw), and RIA Marketplaces (Tallinn). He holds a law degree and lives in Oxford, England.
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