Vox Media Names New Head of Consumer Revenue

Vox Media has named Priyanka Arya, who joined the company as part of its December merger with Group Nine Media, as its new svp of consumer revenue, an indication of the importance of the revenue stream amidst an uncertain economic outlook. Arya, who begins in the role July 18, previously worked as svp of strategic development at Vox Media. Prior to joining Vox Media via Group Nine Media, she held senior strategy and finance roles at direct-to-consumer brands including period hygiene brand Lola and Birchbox. In her new role, Arya will focus primarily on growing four key sources of reader revenue: digital subscriptions to New York Magazine; reader contributions to Vox; paid audio efforts like Cafe Studios and Hot Pod; and consumer services tied to The Dodo, including the insurance offering Fetch and a new pet telehealth product called DodoVet. Arya starts in the new role July 18. The appointment comes less than two months after Vox Media expanded the role of its chief revenue officer, Ryan Pauley, to include oversight of consumer revenue, commerce and affiliate marketing. The role aligns with the larger Vox Media practice of breaking its business lines into departments and assigning each an individual lead––Yosef Johnson runs branded content, Camilla Cho oversees commerce and now Arya will manage consumer revenue. “I’m very excited to dig into the businesses, and I am optimistic about their potential for generating new revenue streams,” Arya said. “I have been impressed by everything so far and am excited to share some new developments in the coming months.” In recent years, publishers have invested heavily in expanding their consumer revenue businesses, a strategy that helps them hedge against the unpredictability of digital advertising. Many publishers have leaned into digital subscriptions, but only one Vox Media publication, New York Magazine, paywalls its content. As a result, the media company has sought to develop other forms of reader revenue that complement its free offerings. Vox Media aims to grow four buckets of consumer revenue Vox Media has continued to see growth in its consumer revenue businesses, though it declined to offer financial specifics. New York Magazine grew revenue from digital subscriptions by 47% in 2021, and the publication has seen comparable growth this year, according to a spokeswoman. Likewise, revenue from its Vox contributions program, which the media company launched at the onset of the pandemic, has grown steadily. Now entering its third year, the program saw new contributions rise 40% between March 2021 and March 2022, according to the publisher. While Vox Media only paywalls one editorial product, it sees a growth opportunity in paid audio. The publisher acquired Cafe Studios in April 2021 and Hot Pod in September 2021, both of which it monetizes through a paywall. It plans to return to that strategy in the future to bring more paid audio offerings into its portfolio, Arya said. Finally, the publisher will also continue growing the number of services it has related to The Dodo, a pet-centric brand Vox Media acquired from Group Nine Media. In February, the media company launched Fetch, a pet insurance offering spearheaded by Arya. And in June, it debuted DodoVet, a $19.99 per month telehealth service for pets that aims to fill a market need created by the surge in pet adoption during the pandemic. The product represents the creative approach Vox Media aims to employ when thinking of new consumer services it can offer that relate to its suite of brands, Arya said. “The pet space is exciting because there is so much room for growth, and people need clear solutions in a confusing industry,” Arya said. “What started as a side project quickly became a standalone operation.” Morning Brew Tops $36 Million First-Half Revenue and Launches Its 10th Newsletter

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Vox Media Names New Head of Consumer Revenue

Priyanka Arya will oversee subscriptions, Vox contributions, paid audio and more

Mark Stenberg

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