new york trump administration combative view traditional news media opposition party fake news turn best hope 2017 newspapers struggle attract digital readers advertisers new york time nyt.n financial time wall street journal gannett co build online readership gain 2016 presidential election market unbiased report sales strategy risk however whether new readers attract advertise dollars newspapers criticize political lean edelman survey 33,000 people 28 countries show trust media all-time low 35 percent far reason optimism among newspaper executives investors new york time president donald trump refer fail twitter message add record 276,000 digital news subscribers last quarter see digital ad revenue 10 15 percent current quarter company say expect add 200,000 digital subscriptions news products first quarter wall street journal add 113,000 digital subscriptions late quarter almost 12 percent jump company say january number even high decline provide figure financial time digital subscriptions jump percent fourth quarter 646,000 digital subscriptions 109 local newspapers across country make gannett usa today network grow 26 percent 182,000 fourth quarter meanwhile usa today part usa today network subscription base saw revenue grow 1.4 percent company say say 68 percent usa today advertise revenue fourth quarter come digital addition proliferation `` fake news `` websites publish false stories propaganda purpose another challenge traditional media hostility trump occasion describe report `` fake news `` republican trump 's close adviser stephen bannon tell new york time interview january `` media 's opposition party `` democratic party win advertisers readers trust wall street journal run ads online print election one feature pin ball machine tagline tilt campaign coverage level paper run ads election highlight content create curated check real newsroom new york time focus increase subscriber revenue january launch truth campaign consist online ads urge readers sign truth need support newspaper see opportunity make sure readers understand fair accurate plan launch another market campaign come weeks chief executive officer mark thompson say company last earn call financial time run facts truths campaign promote coverage election trump administration gannett rebranded publications usa today network use election highlight journalists local newspapers across unite state say andy yost chief market officer gannett divisiveness stir election campaign make brand avoid publications appear politically align say natalie prout strategist phenomenon los angeles-based brand agency example heighten understand wake november election brand buy ad huffington post example could perceive support liberal agenda prout say brand also worry ads show perceive fake news exercise caution use programmatic advertise automatically buy digital ad spot third party instead list sit want ads show advertisers choose sit want see ads say barry lowenthal president media kitchen new york-based media buyer despite recent bump subscribers newspapers still face major headwinds say newspaper analyst ken doctor print advertise free fall doctor say fundamentals change grow digital subscribers help attract advertisers areas conferences say suzi watford chief market officer dow jones include wall street journal able bring people able build maintain healthy ad business watford say graphic online newspaper subscriptions click newspapers aim ride 'trump bump reach readers advertisers