Midtsiden – a small newspaper with sophisticated subscription operations

Midtsiden.no, based in Os outside Bergen, faces tough competition – from Os og Fusaposten, Bergens Tidende and BA. Yet the local paper keep on growing. Since becoming Subrite’s first pilot customer in December 2022, its subscription revenue has more than doubled: from NOK 1.5 million in 2022 to over NOK 3.6 million in 2025. Subscription income grew by 21% in 2023, 39% in 2024 – and is on track for more than 40% growth in 2025. In total, the digital newspaper now has a turnover of NOK 6.3 million.

Technology in the hands of the newsroom

When Midtsiden began working with Subrite, they wanted better insight into their readers – not more systems to manage.

With Subrite, everything is gathered in one place: newsletters, SMS, push notifications, CRM and automations, campaigns, group and corporate subscriptions. The newsroom can see who reads, what converts – and which actions actually work.

“We’ve brought the insight directly into the newsroom. It makes testing easy – and guessing unnecessary,” says editor Kjetil Bruarøy.

Testing, learning, adjusting – and reducing churn

Midtsiden continuously experiments with pricing models and campaigns. They use push notifications and newsletters actively to build engagement, frequency and to win back former subscribers.

Automated customer flows remind users if they forget to pay or if their card expires. Subscribers also get friendly prompts to add family members or colleagues – ensuring someone notices if the subscription stops.

Group and corporate subscriptions, where customers add users themselves, make the product more “sticky” – and increase revenue per customer. Churn has been cut by more than half since adopting Subrite, even though the subscriber base has more than doubled.

Simple operations, minimal support

Another major effect went almost unnoticed: customer support disappeared. Where the newsroom once had daily issues with logins and payments, they now receive about five inquiries per month.

Smooth onboarding and intuitive self-service mean users solve things themselves.

Exploring audio and closed formats

Midtsiden is also experimenting with a closed podcast called Sleivkast, where subscribers access episodes through Subrite. The experience mirrors what United.no achieved with UNO+, which you can read more about here.

From pilot to platform

Midtsiden was Subrite’s first pilot customer. The experience from Os helped shape how the platform works today – with self-service, accessible data, built-in email and SMS tools, and automated customer journeys. All designed for newsrooms, not IT departments.

Midtsiden proves that when technology is placed in the hands of journalists, it actually gets used – and the results show on the bottom line.