How do you turn a niche publication into a must-have industry platform?

In this episode of Insight Shapes News by Kilkaya, host Nils Ove Håland Riise speaks with Tom Seaman, founder and editor-in-chief of Undercurrent News — a B2B media company covering the global seafood industry.

With over 70% of its revenue coming from subscriptions. But the real story? Undercurrent went beyond content — building pricing platforms, trade data tools, and a product-led approach that drives value and retention.

🎧 Topics we cover:

• How Undercurrent grew a global audience in a specialized market

• The evolution from newsroom to data-driven publishing and combining it

• Why B2B subscriptions are thriving (and how to sell them)

• Editorial and sales working together (yes, really)

• What it takes to build lasting value in niche media

• And yes — Tom answers the question: “How much is the fish?”

If you work in digital publishing, subscriptions, product, B2B media, or newsroom innovation — this episode is packed with strategies, learnings, and a few laughs along the way.

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🎧 Subscribe to Insight Shapes News for conversations on the future of journalism, product thinking, and the strategies shaping the news industry.

Chapters:

00:00 Trends and Challenges in the Global Seafood Market

03:00 Building a Niche Media Powerhouse

05:56 The Vision Behind Undercurrent News

09:11 Understanding the Seafood Sector

11:55 Balancing Coverage: Comprehensive vs. In-Depth

15:08 The Shift to Subscription Revenue

17:53 Sales Strategy and Customer Engagement

21:07 The Importance of Data in Seafood Reporting

24:02 Developing a Pricing Portal

27:04 Challenges in Data Collection

29:56 The Future of Seafood Data Services

34:40 Navigating the Seafood Sector's Complexity

39:23 The Art of Data-Driven Storytelling

43:28 Editorial Decision-Making in Journalism

49:36 Building a Global Journalism Team

53:00 Hiring for Expertise vs. Talent

58:16 Lessons from Building a Niche Media Company

01:05:49 The Future of Journalism in an AI World

#B2BMedia #NicheMedia #DigitalPublishing #Subscriptions #Journalism #SeafoodIndustry #MediaInnovation #AudienceStrategy #NewsroomTransformation