Dutch newspapers grow mainly digitally
Revenue rises slightly as digital subscriptions grow and advertising income remains under pressure.
Dutch newspaper companies collectively generated €1.231 billion in revenue in 2025, an increase of 1.6 per cent. According to industry figures, growth came mainly from digital reader income, while advertising continued to lose ground.
The figures are contained in the 2025 annual report of NDP Nieuwsmedia. Total revenue for newspaper companies rose by €20 million to €1.231 billion. That is modest growth in a year when consumer prices also rose on average. The industry association therefore describes stability on the surface, but a far-reaching change in how news companies generate income.
Digital subscriptions were the main engine of growth. According to NDP, income from digital reader subscriptions rose by 13 per cent. Around four in ten subscriptions are now fully digital. The revenue model is thus shifting further from paper and single-copy sales towards recurring payments for access to websites, apps and digital products.
The advertising market performed less favourably. Total advertising revenue for newspaper companies fell by 3 per cent in 2025. According to NDP, less than a fifth of total revenue still comes from advertising. Digital advertising is growing on some channels, but does not fully offset the decline in print advertising. Publishers are also competing with major technology platforms for the same advertising budgets.
Set against the pressure on revenue are investments in journalism and innovation. NDP reports that editorial costs exceeded €400 million in 2025; the factsheet gives a figure of €406 million. According to the industry, €47 million was also invested in innovation. Such spending is no guarantee of profit, but shows that revenue growth does not automatically mean that financial pressure on editorial departments has disappeared.
For readers, the development is likely to mean more digital paywalls, bundles and subscription options. For publishers, the relationship between reach and willingness to pay is becoming more important: many visitors are not the same as many paying readers. The figures are also industry figures from affiliated companies and do not show separately how each title performed. The shift to digital offers room for growth, but also makes news companies more dependent on subscriptions and platform technology.
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The revenue, subscription and advertising figures come from NDP's annual report and factsheet. The text identifies the source and scope of the industry data.
- confirmed Revenue for newspaper companies rose to €1.231 billion in 2025. — This amount is stated in the annual report of NDP Nieuwsmedia. source
- confirmed Digital reader income rose by 13 per cent. — NDP cites this increase in its annual report. source
- confirmed Advertising income fell by 3 per cent. — The factsheet reports a decline in the advertising market. source
Editor's note
The figures are industry figures for 2025 and not a forecast for 2026. NDP is the industry association; no independent public audit of all the underlying company data is available.Sources
- Geringe omzetgroei in 2025, transitie nieuwssector zet door — NDP Nieuwsmedia
- Feiten, cijfers en trends nieuwsbranche — NDP Nieuwsmedia
- Nieuwsmedia groeien dankzij digitale abonnementen — Mediaonderzoek.nl
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „dagbladen nieuwsmedia”
- de Volkskrant — „dagbladen nieuwsmedia”
- RTL Nieuws — „dagbladen nieuwsmedia”