News organisations are increasingly embracing the use of analytics and metrics as part of editorial decision making, but what constitutes a sophisticated analytics strategy? And why are so many media organisations still using such a rudimentary approach to analytics?

This new report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism looks at which organisations are building a competitive advantage over less advanced competitors through a better understanding of their audience, and what lessons others can take from their approaches.

Based on over 30 interviews with senior figures involved in developing analytics in news organisations, the report, authored by Cherubini and Nielsen, examines analytics at leading organisations, provides a review of current trends – and looks at where others are falling behind.

The report examines several best-practice case studies, including sophisticated tailored approaches at The Financial Times, The Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Die Welt, and The BBC. It breaks down approaches used by media organisations as falling into three categories – editorial, generic and rudimentary, and examines the tools, organisational support and news room culture that must be in place to develop the high-level tools required for media organisations to truly understand how their audiences are engaging with their content.