Long time PA member Aspermont "continues to buck the trend" despite "increased concerns in the general media about the [publishing] sector" according to CEO and PA board member, Colm O'Brien.

For the 2012 financial year they recorded a 22% year on year growth representing a revenue increase of approximately $5.5m. They say that having provided online daily news behind a paywall for 10 years, it is their "strong editorial, robust technology, and integrated sales offerings" that mean their model remains successful in the battleground of daily news. 

Their periodicals provide in - depth analysis, reports, and reviews rather than relying on current news, and their print products overall are feature driven focusing on issues within the relevant industrial sector.

O'Brien says that their strategy has been to "extend [their] brands across all distribution channels: print, online, and events", and this has resulted in a growth in their databases. Further, though their mainstay continues to be the mining sector, they are expecting large revenue growth in agriculture, environment, oil and gas, and construction sectors.

With the successful year that Aspermont has had perhaps it isn't all bad news in the increasingly bleak media world.