You’ve probably seen the little box at the bottom of a Guardian article asking for five bucks to keep the lights on. It’s a bit different from the paywalls you hit at the New York Times or the Telegraph. Honestly, it hints at the strange reality of who owns The Guardian newspaper. Most people assume there is some billionaire in a high-rise office pulling the strings, but that’s just not how it works here.
Basically, nobody "owns" it in the way Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post or the Murdochs own The Sun. There are no shareholders waiting for a fat dividend check at the end of the quarter. Instead, everything is held by a very specific, very British entity called The Scott Trust Limited.
The Scott Trust: The Power Behind the Paper
Let's get into the weeds. The Guardian is owned by the Guardian Media Group (GMG). GMG, in turn, is 100% owned by The Scott Trust Limited.
This isn't a charity. It's a company, but a company with a soul—or at least a very strict set of rules. The Trust exists for one reason: to keep the newspaper going forever. It was set up back in 1936 by John Russell Scott. He’d just lost his father (the legendary C.P. Scott) and his brother within a few years of each other. Facing a massive tax bill that would have killed the paper, he decided to just... give it away. He handed his shares to a group of trustees to protect the paper's liberal tradition.
Today, the board is made up of a mix of people. You’ve got historians like David Olusoga, journalists like Haroon Siddique, and even a member of the original Scott family. The chair, Ole Jacob Sunde, has been pretty vocal lately about how this structure is a "structural guarantee" of independence.
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Think about that. If the paper makes a profit, that money doesn't go to buy a yacht for a CEO. It goes into an endowment fund—currently worth well over £1 billion—which acts as a rainy-day fund for when advertising gets lean.
Wait, What Happened to The Observer?
If you’re a Sunday reader, you might have noticed some drama recently. For decades, The Guardian and The Observer were siblings. They shared a building at Kings Place in London. But in late 2024, the Scott Trust decided to sell The Observer to Tortoise Media, a move that actually went through in early 2025.
It was a controversial call. Some staff hated it. They felt like the family was being split up. But the Trust argued that Tortoise would invest more in the Sunday title than they could. It’s a classic example of how the Trust makes cold-blooded business decisions to ensure the core brand—the daily Guardian—survives the digital meat grinder.
Why This Ownership Model Actually Matters
In a world where hedge funds buy local papers and strip them for parts, the Guardian model is an anomaly.
- No Political Bosses: There is no proprietor to call the editor and tell them who to endorse for Prime Minister.
- Perpetual Life: Because it's a trust (turned into a limited company in 2008), it can't be "sold" on the open market.
- The Endowment: That £1.2 billion fund means they aren't just living hand-to-mouth. They can afford to do expensive investigative work, like the Edward Snowden leaks or the Windrush scandal, without worrying if a big advertiser pulls out.
Dealing With the Past
It hasn't all been high-minded ideals, though. In 2023, the Scott Trust had to face some ugly history. They commissioned a report that found the paper’s founder, John Edward Taylor, had links to the transatlantic slave trade through his textile business.
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They didn't just bury it. They apologized and committed £10 million to a "restorative justice" fund. This involves supporting Black-owned businesses and community projects over the next decade. It’s the kind of move you only see when the owners don't have to answer to Wall Street.
How They Actually Make Money (Since You Aren't the Product)
If there are no owners to fund the losses, how does the paper survive? It’s a three-legged stool:
- Reader Contributions: Over a million people worldwide pay something monthly.
- Advertising: Still a thing, though shrinking.
- The Endowment: If they lose money one year, the Trust dips into that billion-pound pot to cover the gap.
It’s a weirdly stable setup for an industry that's usually on fire. While other papers are cutting staff, the Guardian has been expanding in the US and Australia. They’ve basically turned the "support us" button into a global business model.
Actionable Insights for Readers and Researchers
If you're looking into media ownership or just want to understand the landscape, here is the takeaway:
- Verify the Independence: When you read a Guardian scoop, check the "About" section. They are one of the few outlets that publishes an annual "Social Impact Report" detailing their finances and diversity.
- Check the Board: The Scott Trust board isn't secret. You can look up the current members on Companies House or their own site. If you see a shift toward more corporate types, that’s usually a sign of a strategy shift.
- Support if You Value it: The model only works if the "voluntary" part of the revenue holds up. If the endowment has to cover too many losses, the Trust starts looking for things to sell (like The Observer).
- Look at the Endowment: For the real financial health of the paper, don't look at the annual profit/loss. Look at the value of the Scott Trust Endowment fund. As long as that’s north of £1 billion, the paper is safe for the foreseeable future.
The Guardian ownership isn't just a fun fact; it's a shield. In 2026, where "fake news" and "billionaire agendas" are the buzzwords of the day, having a paper owned by a 90-year-old trust that literally isn't allowed to pay out a profit is a pretty unique spot to be in.