News influencers are transforming how people consume information on social media, emerging as a key force in the digital landscape. This new breed of news influencers are defined as having at least 100,000 followers on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube and who frequently post about news topics. Most news influencers operate independently, with over three-quarters (77%) having no current or prior affiliation with a news organization. They combine personal branding with the dissemination of information, carving out a space that blends elements of journalism and entertainment with questionable accuracy.
A recent Pew Research Center study, America’s News Influencers, finds that roughly one in five U.S. adults regularly gets news from influencers. Younger audiences—particularly those aged 18 to 29—are even more likely to do so. Among this age group, 37% rely on influencers for updates on current events.
News influencers reach their audiences through multiple platforms, with X currently leading the way. About 85% of Pew’s sampled influencers are active on X, followed by Instagram (50%) and YouTube (44%). Many adopt a cross-platform strategy, with some maintaining a presence on five or more sites. While these news influencers skew largely male, TikTok stands out for its relatively balanced gender representation among influencers.
Diverse content and political landscape
Americans who follow news influencers encounter diverse content, including factual updates (90%), opinions (87%), humor (87%), and breaking news (83%). Among those consuming opinions, 61% report seeing a mix of views they agree and disagree with, while 30% say they mostly encounter opinions they agree with. Only 2% see information with which they mostly disagree.
Influencers cover equally wide-ranging topics, though politics and government dominate their content. However, this focus reflects the study’s fielding period—July 15 to August 4, 2024. During this time, significant events included the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, the first assassination attempt on Donald Trump, and President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race. While U.S. politics takes center stage, influencers also address social issues such as race, LGBTQ+ rights, and abortion, along with international events.
Despite their prominence, news influencers present a complex picture regarding political orientation. Slightly more influencers identify as right-leaning (27%) than left-leaning (21%), though half remain politically neutral. TikTok stands out as the only platform where left-leaning influencers outnumber right-leaning ones.
Audiences value news influencers’ perspectives
Audiences perceive news influencers as offering distinct and valuable perspectives. Most followers believe these influencers help them better understand current events. Among those who rely on influencers for news, 65% say they enhance their understanding of current events and civic issues, while only 9% feel more confused. Another 26% say influencers make little difference in their comprehension.
When comparing news from influencers to other sources, 70% find it at least somewhat different. About 23% describe it as extremely or very different, while 29% see little to no difference.
News influencers with and without industry experience differ
News influencers with and without news media industry experience differ notably in their public personas. Those tied to news organizations are less likely to express political leanings; 64% avoid clear political orientation, compared to 44% of non-industry influencers. Although similar proportions identify as right-leaning (25% vs. 27%), just 9% of industry-tied influencers identify as left-leaning, compared to 25% of non-industry influencers.
Non-industry influencers are also more likely to connect their profiles to specific values or identities, with 22% doing so versus just 2% of industry-tied influencers. For instance, 8% of non-industry influencers support LGBTQ+ rights or identify as LGBTQ+, while none with industry experience express such views.
This research highlights the growing impact of news influencers in the modern information ecosystem. Operating largely outside traditional media structures, they offer audiences a mix of facts, opinions, and entertainment. While their rise enables more personalized and diverse information consumption, it raises important questions about accuracy, accountability, and the evolving role of professional journalism in a landscape increasingly dominated by independent digital voices.
The digital publishing industry is navigating a complex transformation. Organic traffic, once a cornerstone of success, is steadily declining due to changes in search engine algorithms, the rise of AI-driven content, and shifts in consumer behavior. To address this challenge, a growing trend we’ve seen among publishers, especially those with premium content and audiences, is to adopt performance marketing—a highly data-driven approach—as a means to both acquire new readers as well as enhance the performance of sponsored content.
This shift represents a departure from the traditional reliance on organic reach. Performance marketing requires a results-oriented strategy, leveraging insights and analytics to optimize campaigns and allocate budgets effectively. Its rise signifies an evolution in how publisher leaders may want to think about growth and monetization in today’s competitive landscape.
Reasons to consider embracing performance marketing
Addressing declines in organic traffic: Search engine algorithm updates and the growing dominance of AI-generated content are reducing the visibility of publishers’ articles. Performance marketing allows publishers to regain control over how their content reaches audiences by targeting specific demographics and optimizing spend for measurable results.
Effectively promoting sponsored content: Brands now expect measurable outcomes from their partnerships with publishers. Performance marketing enables publishers to deliver targeted sponsored content to the right audiences, increasing engagement and ROI for brand partners.
Enhancing reader acquisition strategies: Through precise targeting and retargeting, performance marketing helps publishers attract subscribers who are more likely to engage deeply with their content, driving sustained revenue growth.
Key data-driven methods to adopt
Adopting performance marketing requires publishers to implement robust, data-driven techniques to maximize results. Some key methods include:
Incrementality testing: Using incrementality testing to measure the actual impact of campaigns. By turning campaigns on and off strategically, they can observe the effect on conversions, providing a clearer picture of whether advertising efforts are driving measurable outcomes.
Advanced attribution models: Traditional attribution models, such as last-click or platform-based metrics, often overestimate the contribution of specific channels. Exploring alternative methods like multi-touch attribution or data-driven attribution to capture the full customer journey can help ensure a more accurate representation of campaign performance.
Leveraging first-party data: First-party data has become a critical asset for publishers. By encouraging readers to share their email addresses or engage with content through subscriptions, publishers build a more direct relationship with their audience. This data is instrumental to creating more personalized marketing campaigns and refining targeting strategies.
Adopting strategies for success
For publishers looking to integrate performance marketing into their strategies, the following steps can serve as a roadmap:
Build a data infrastructure: Invest in tools and platforms that enable robust data collection and analytics. These may include customer data platforms (CDPs) and marketing automation systems to streamline targeting and reporting. Breaking down data silos and creating a unified, single source of truth shared across teams is essential for effective collaboration and visibility.
Experiment and optimize: Start with small-scale campaigns and use insights from incrementality testing and attribution analysis to optimize future efforts. Treat campaigns as iterative processes, constantly refining strategies based on performance metrics.
Focus on first-party data: Launch initiatives to collect first-party data, such as newsletters, exclusive content offerings, or gated access. Use this data to segment audiences and deliver highly targeted campaigns.
Balance acquisition and retention: As subscription bases grow, retention strategies become as important as acquisition efforts. Provide an exceptional user experience and foster ongoing engagement through personalized content recommendations and value-driven communication.
Looking ahead: building sustainable digital businesses
While there are no silver bullets, digital publishers that embrace performance marketing and data-driven methodologies can position themselves for long-term success. By breaking down data siloes, diversifying marketing channels, focusing on first-party data strategies, and continually refining user experiences, publishers can create sustainable business models while meeting the evolving needs of their audiences.
In an industry that demands constant adaptation, performance marketing offers actionable steps forward—one rooted in measurable impact, audience insights, and a deeper connection with readers.
About the Author
Ju-kay Kwek is a leader in creating enterprise-scale data analytics products. Before co-founding Switchboard Software, Ju-kay launched Google BigQuery and was a founding product executive for Google Cloud Platform. Ju-kay uses his expertise in media and audience data to help companies like Spotify, Target, DISH, and Dotdash Meredith to accelerate their revenue.
WhatsApp may be the fourth most popular social network in the world. However, to date it has not been a place publishers have had much success building audiences. Over the last few years though, the Meta-owned messaging app has been building out capabilities for brands to connect with its thousands of millions of users.
One promising component, WhatsApp Channels, was launched globally in September 2023 following a few months of trials. Rather than being a two-way communication tool like Communities or chats, Channels are a broadcast feature; the first time WhatsApp has experimented with this type of one-way communication.
Despite the relative newness of Channels, WhatsApp is an established, trusted and popular platform with audiences. A year on from its official launch, publishers who made the move to launch Channels early on are seeing success. Here’s how Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance and Reach plc are using Channels to connect with global audiences, drive pageviews, and experiment with content sharing.
Bloomberg: leaning into global audiences
Bloomberg was one of a few publishers invited by Meta into a pilot program of WhatsApp Channels 18 months ago. This meant that they were present when Channels was rolled out more widely, which Katie Boyce, Head of Digital Editorial at Bloomberg says was an advantage. “Being there at the start has really helped us grow that audience,” she said.
The main Bloomberg News WhatsApp Channel has 2 million followers. The publisher also has a number of more targeted accounts, from Bloomberg India with 32k followers and Bloomberg Africa with 36k followers, to Spanish and Portuguese language Channels with 9k and 1k followers respectively. They also have a separate Bloomberg Opinion account, to separate out columns from the news shared in their primary channel.
“We have a robust global audience so we’ve been looking for an opportunity to do something with them for a while. And, given WhatsApp’s international user base, they opted to launch region-specific Channels. During the run up to elections in India, they also experimented with offering free articles to audiences who came from newsletters and WhatsApp Channels as a way for them to sample paywalled content.
This was used as a tactic the other way too, as Boyce explained. “In [articles about the] India election, we then promoted following us on WhatsApp and subscribing to the newsletter as a way to get more of an engagement tool to reach those users directly.”
However, Boyce said that the majority of users are finding Bloomberg’s Channels within the app themselves as they’re browsing, searching, or onboarding.
The team receives metrics on traffic and clicks from WhatsApp Channels. And, given that sharing news links is a very strong user behavior on the platform, it makes sense to promote links there. But it’s not just links that work; images and polls also perform particularly well.
“We have been experimenting more with image list posts, to see if we can add variety in the channel,” Boyce said. “Polls have also seen some nice engagement. But generally, we focus on having an image with every post, because those perform best.”
Despite Bloomberg’s success so far, they still view their foray into WhatsApp as an experiment. “For us, our top priority from a distribution perspective is to build direct connections with our audiences,” Boyce emphasized, noting that audience-building on homepages, apps and newsletters is where most effort is focused. “But we see WhatsApp as an experimental platform, particularly in key international markets where we can reach new audiences.”
Yahoo Finance: focused experimentation
Yahoo Finance has also benefited from being early to Channels. They spotted that Meta was leaning into the platform last year, and once Channels were available more widely, they set one up. “We approached it like any new platform where we can go and meet different audiences, and figure out what they like,” said Yahoo Finance’s Head of Distribution, Michael Kelley.
Kelley believes the early mover advantage has helped propel them to 2.6 million followers. “Organic growth is hard to come by on mature platforms,” he said, explaining that from an audience development standpoint, opportunities like this are rare as a rush of people check out new tools, and platforms make it as easy as possible to discover. “From a publisher standpoint, getting in early and posting things consistently that are resonating, you can catch that initial window of organic growth.”
Unlike Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance has decided to concentrate on one Channel and build engagement and growth there. So far, the team is concentrating on posting, building up workflows and best practice, and seeing what works best.
Charts and data visualizations have done especially well, leaning into the publication’s authority in the finance space. He has also noticed increased interest in international stories, with one chart about the Mexican peso performing particularly strongly.
Yahoo Finance is also still in an experimental stage with WhatsApp Channels. “I’m encouraging our editors to experiment, have fun, try to see what the audience is reacting to, and focus on the brand and displaying the quality content,” Kelley emphasized. “Everything else will follow.”
Reach plc: a strategic approach to WhatsAppcommunities and channels
UK regional publisher Reach plc has had a presence on WhatsApp for some time. They were early experimenters with WhatsApp Communities; a unified space for multiple groups with various topics and interests. Audience & Content Director Dan Russell explained that Reach saw an opportunity for a different type of communication with Channels, and they now run both.
“For instance, we’ll have a WhatsApp Community for a local area, but a WhatsApp channel for all our money content. So it’s the same platform, but different mechanisms and results,” he said, noting that many of Reach’s 70+ regional publications will all write about money in one way or another.
However, Russell has noticed some differences between the two tools. Channels, in his experience, grow very, very quickly. But the returns – pageviews in Reach’s case – aren’t nearly as high as Communities. Reach has 2.3 million people following various Channels compared to 270,000 members of Communities. He told the World News Media Congress in May that Channel members only drove around 1 million page views a month, but by contrast, almost every Community user reads at least one thing a month.
The engagement disparity is partly down to the way WhatsApp notifies for new content between the two. But Russell acknowledged that for them, the focus on growing a UK audience on Communities for Reach’s primarily UK-based content makes it more relevant than the more global audiences reached through Channels.
There is an opportunity here for the publisher. “Channels gives us access into different markets, especially for things like sport; Man United, Arsenal – those teams have members from around the world,” Russell said. “Channels in some countries is a lot bigger, massively bigger than they are here. So what that’s allowing us to do, which is very valuable, is to reach those people wherever they are.”
“Say 45% of [a Channel’s] members are from African countries. Do we commission a piece on an African football player specifically for Channels, does that get a better click through rate?”
Like Bloomberg and Yahoo Finance, Reach has found that growth to Channels is rapid without requiring much additional promotion, especially in other countries. Russell noted that their Arsenal Channel has 550,000 followers which have all grown completely organically.
“Polls do very well,” he said, when asked what types of content they were experimenting with. “We want people to click through because at the end of the day, that’s how we make money.
“But the other thing we do is share YouTube videos in there, because YouTube’s videos in Channels work really well. You can watch it [in the app], and get your share of the advertising revenue that YouTube puts on it.”
As Meta continues their work on Channels, building out more detailed analytics, Reach is continuing to invest effort into their presence on the platform. They also use Channels as an opportunity to promote related newsletters, which helps get more first-party data on users.
Challenges with WhatsApp Channels
Despite the positive organic growth all three publishers have seen on WhatsApp Channels, the experience has not been without its challenges. Metrics are still very basic. Publishers aren’t given much of a sense of the demographics or who the users are who follow them, unlike other social media platforms.
“They don’t have established analytics, but that’s not surprising given it’s basically a year old… Even with Instagram and Facebook before that, it takes time for the platform to figure out and build, from a product and engineering standpoint, those robust back-end analytics,” Yahoo Finance’s Kelley pointed out.
He says this has led to a lack of clarity over what the best cadence is for publishing to a Channel. Some publishers post hundreds of updates each week. Yahoo Finance posts once or twice a day to their Channel, with Kelley worrying that too often will turn people off.
Although the broadcast-style nature of Channels can be appealing to publishers, Bloomberg’s Boyce said that the lack of interaction with followers could be a challenge. “We’re able to track what users click on, but we’re not able to engage with them like a traditional social platform,” she said, explaining that users can only respond through emoji reactions.
Reach’s Russell said that it had taken some hoop-jumping to get their Channels verified by Meta. But he believes this has immensely helped growth when people are looking for trusted Channels to follow. He warned other publishers that it can be difficult to get a workflow going that makes it worth it, “because you do have to put a lot of work in to get going. But once you are going, it’s a big benefit to us.”
The elephant in the room when it comes to any Meta-related platforms is the somewhat turbulent relationship they have with publishers, particularly news organizations. Major brands were courted for many years when Facebook prioritized getting quality content into newsfeeds, only to have licensing fees, journalism initiatives and huge followings canceled or reach dialed down when it no longer suited Meta. More recently, there have been regulatory conflicts in Canada which has seen news completely banned on Facebook and Instagram and has had a deep impact on Canadian media.
Russell’s approach to this is pragmatic. “We still get good referral traffic from Facebook,” he said. “It’s nowhere near what it was, but if it’s there, we’ll use it, and if it’s not there, we won’t!”
Yahoo Finance’s Kelley is also unconcerned. “Our approach to social media is more about the brands and audience development, and meeting people where they are with our high quality content,” he explained. “So there’s not as much of a downside or risk of a rug pull, because we’re not dependent on it for that.”For these publishers, riding the wave of growth while WhatsApp offers easy tools to build a following to Channels is a no-brainer. As more Channels are set up, it will be harder for publishers to stand out from the crowd. But any strategy which explores WhatsApp Channels as a component should also build in a way to turn unknown, relatively anonymous followers into known, direct audiences.
In today’s rapidly evolving media landscape, publishers and broadcasters are increasingly looking to AI to reach new audiences and build loyalty. At Arc XP’s recent Connect London event, a panel of industry experts—Lisa Anzinger, Enterprise Lead at Echobox; Aliya Itzkowitz, Strategy Manager at FT Strategies; and Madeleine White, VP of Marketing at Poool—shared their insights on how AI is reshaping engagement strategies for media companies.
How AI can help reach new audiences
One of the biggest challenges for media companies is breaking through the noise to reach new audiences. AI offers a way to do this by understanding and targeting specific audience needs. As Anzinger from Echobox explained, “AI can help you counteract [algorithm changes] and actually still reach those audiences, maybe even reach them through wider channels… whether that’s social media, newsletters, or even others.” AI’s adaptability is crucial in an environment where third-party platforms frequently adjust their algorithms.
Itzkowitz from FT Strategies highlighted the importance of multi-format engagement: “One of the most exciting things for me is there’s so many new ways that we can engage with readers, especially thanks to the generative AI boom.” For example, she shared that the Financial Times (FT) has been experimenting with a feature called “definitions,” which helps younger readers understand financial terms by offering definitions that pop up on hover. This is one way AI makes news content more accessible and appealing to younger audiences, who may find certain jargon intimidating.
Personalization and community building
AI’s ability to personalize experiences was another focus of the discussion. Anzinger explained that Echobox has seen significant engagement improvements through AI-driven personalization in newsletters, saying, “We have the ability to personalize each newsletter to the individual reader… [our client] Group Sud Ouest managed to increase open rates by 53% and click rates by 42%.” This tailored approach ensures that readers receive content that matters to them at just the right time.
Beyond personalization, White from Poool highlighted the growing importance of community building, emphasizing that AI’s real value lies in connecting people. “With AI, content can be created so easily that anyone can create content… community is what’s going to set you apart.” AI can help facilitate these communities, for example, by using AI-driven chatbots to engage users in conversations and provide a space where people with shared interests can connect and interact. White mentioned that some Norwegian publishers have even used AI chatbots that act as virtual community members, creating a more dynamic and interactive environment.
Ethical considerations and transparency in AI
Implementing AI responsibly is a priority, and transparency is essential in building trust. White believes in the value of being open with audiences: “Always be transparent…if a reader believes they can trust you and they know when you are being honest about whether AI’s being used, I think that really helps.” On the other hand, Itzkowitz offered a nuanced perspective, suggesting that over time, labeling every AI-driven feature may become unnecessary as AI becomes more integral to everyday processes.
However, when AI is directly engaging with audiences, clear communication is critical. Itzkowitz shared an example from a project involving synthetic voices: “If you’re using the voice of a journalist or cloning a voice…then you need to disclaim that.” AI’s role in generating content is likely to be acceptable for readers as long as they feel informed about when it’s being used.
Legacy media vs. new brands: Who has the AI advantage?
An interesting debate arose around whether legacy media brands have an advantage in AI-driven engagement due to their extensive archives and resources. While Itzkowitz acknowledged that larger companies have more data and resources, she pointed out that smaller publishers can often innovate faster due to less bureaucratic red tape. “Smaller publishers…may just say, let’s try full automation. Let’s see how it goes,” said Anzinger, highlighting the experimental edge smaller companies can bring to the table.
For smaller teams, adopting hybrid models that combine ready-made AI solutions with limited internal development is a viable approach. As Itzkowitz noted, “AI has somewhat changed this…you no longer need huge development teams to build something.”
Overcoming fear of failure with AI
The panelists acknowledged that trying new technologies like AI can be intimidating, especially with the risk of projects not meeting expectations. However, Anzinger advised companies to take a “trial and error” approach, iterating based on results. “Just keep trying… you can’t be afraid of something going wrong, just need to keep trying,” she said.
White underscored the importance of resilience and learning from failure, recalling the New York Times’ bold decision to implement a paywall in 2011 despite criticism. “Trying and failing means you are potentially going to succeed and be ahead of anyone else,” she said, stressing that bold moves can often be the most rewarding in the long term.
What’s next for AI in audience engagement?
Looking to the future, the panelists shared their excitement about the new ways AI can enhance engagement. Anzinger is optimistic about using AI to produce dynamic content, such as automated videos from articles, which will help media companies engage younger audiences on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Meanwhile, Itzkowitz is eager to see AI-driven creativity blossom: “What’s that killer app for generative AI, or how are we really going to change the news experience so that young people and audiences in general really want to engage with news again?”
White emphasized the potential to create individualized experiences: “Instead of creating this one-size-fits-all model… [AI means] giving them a unique experience that the reader next to them isn’t going to get.” This hyper-personalized approach has the potential to make each reader feel valued and understood, a key to building loyalty.
Finally,the panelists concurred that AI is not here to replace journalists but to augment their capacity to connect with readers in increasingly meaningful ways. As AI tools evolve, media companies that embrace experimentation, prioritize transparency, and stay committed to creating genuine connections will be best positioned to thrive.
Today’s vast television ecosystem combines streaming services, traditional pay-TV, and free ad-supported platforms, reflecting a sea change in how viewers find and consume video content. The scales are tipping in favor of online sources their first stop when seeking out video content. Over two-thirds (67%) of respondents report they turn to an online source first when they want to watch TV. Only 26% default to a traditional MVPD (Multichannel Video Programming Distributor) set-top box. Hub Entertainment Research’s new report, Decoding the Default, highlights an increasingly fragmented ecosystem where viewers lean more toward online platforms than ever.
From traditional TV to streaming
As cord-cutting and “cord-never” populations continue to grow, the number of viewers who rely solely on traditional pay-TV services is dwindling. According to Hub’s findings, more than twice as many viewers use both traditional pay-TV and streaming platforms rather than just one type. Audiences find that streaming platforms offer more options and flexibility than traditional TV. Deloitte’s Digital Media Trends report echoes this, noting that many consumers find streaming services more aligned with their viewing needs. They prioritize content that matches their schedules rather than set broadcast times.
Viewers’ SVOD stack
Viewers’ video-on-demand (SVOD) “stacks” are getting larger, with many people subscribing to at least three different services. The report shows that the percentage of consumers using three or more SVODs more than doubled since 2020, illustrating the growth of multi-platform use. This expansion is partially due to the massive libraries each SVOD offers; for instance, Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ have extensive catalogs covering different genres and audience segments.
Yet, while viewers may stack multiple services, only a few platforms become their “default.” Netflix leads this default category, with 26% of respondents choosing it first. This trend toward Netflix as the initial go-to aligns with its status as a pioneering platform with an established reputation for both quantity and quality of content. Hulu and Amazon Prime Video follow while Disney+ and Max (formerly HBO Max) fall slightly behind.
Online streaming is the new “home base”
Hub’s findings underscore that, for most viewers, the default experience of “turning on the TV” starts with online streaming. About one-third of viewers say they now go directly to a built-in smart TV app, showing a 50% increase in usage since 2021.
The appeal of smart TV apps lies in their convenience. They provide immediate access to various streaming platforms without additional hardware. The transition to smart TV apps represents a natural evolution of how viewers experience TV.
Research from the Leichtman Research aligns with this trend, finding that 87% of U.S. households own a device connecting their TV to the internet, from smart TVs to streaming media players. This widespread connectivity facilitates using apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video, solidifying them as the primary sources of TV content.
SVOD loyalty driven by “favorite shows”
Hub’s report highlights a crucial driver of platform loyalty—exclusive content. When viewers have a specific favorite show exclusive to a particular SVOD, they’re more likely to remain loyal to that platform. This “stickiness” effect is essential in a crowded market where content variety can make or break viewer retention.
On the other hand, traditional MVPDs still hold an edge on live TV, particularly for sports and news. These content categories remain strongholds for pay-TV providers, appealing to a demographic that values real-time events. However, this loyalty is eroding. The report notes that nearly a quarter of MVPD users would consider canceling their service if forced to choose between platforms.
The growth of FAST
FAST services are also becoming a mainstay for many viewers, especially those who prioritize content variety over exclusivity. FAST platforms appeal to cost-conscious consumers who prefer a broad selection of programming without additional monthly costs. Their rise complements subscription streaming by offering a fallback for when paid services are unavailable or too costly.
FAST providers such as Pluto TV and Tubi are gaining traction as they offer a unique blend of on-demand and live content with a more traditional TV-like feel. According to a survey from eMarketer, over half of U.S. adults now use FAST services. For these viewers, the trade-off of ads in exchange for free content is more appealing than paying for an additional SVOD, further underscoring the complexity of the modern TV ecosystem.
Will MVPDs adapt?
The rapid decline of MVPD set-top boxes poses an existential challenge to pay-TV providers, who now face pressure to innovate or risk further market loss. Some MVPDs are pivoting to streaming bundles or hybrid solutions to capture traditional and digital audiences. However, Hub’s report suggests these changes may be too late. As smart TV apps and streaming services become the “default” choice for viewing, MVPDs could be relegated to a niche role unless they compete with streaming platforms on convenience, affordability, and exclusive content.
As more people rely on streaming services and smart TVs, the influence of traditional MVPDs is waning. Netflix’s leading SVOD “default” position reflects its early mover advantage and vast content library. Meanwhile, traditional TV’s staples—live news and sports—feel less essential as viewers increasingly favor on-demand content.
Even when unintentional, media bias can do measurable economic harm to entire nations, new research indicates. The economies of African countries are negatively impacted by media bias to the tune of 4.2 billion U.S. dollars in inflated interest payments annually, according to The Cost of Media Stereotypes to Africa. The study by Africa No Filter and Africa Practice reveals that by reinforcing negative stereotypes, ignoring positive stories, and misrepresenting African issues through ethnocentrism, media bias could be costing Africa billions per year in high borrowing costs.
In the financial world, negative media coverage heightens perceived risk, which impacts investor sentiment and sovereign bond yields. The research findings indicate that news coverage of African elections focuses disproportionately on negative issues such as violence and election fraud when compared to non-African countries with similar risk profiles. For example, the term “violence” was found to be highly associated with Africa in media headlines – especially in election coverage – even when the content of the article didn’t warrant it. Western media also tends to perpetuate misunderstandings and oversimplifications, such as referring to Africa as a monolith, neglecting to convey the complexities of individual African countries and events.
Global Africa media bias revealed
The study included a comparison of news coverage from seven global media giants: Al Jazeera, the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, Financial Time, Reuters, and The Economist, all of which are commonly used by foreign investors to keep abreast of international economic and political news. The material covering African countries was compared to that of non-African countries with similar risk profiles.
Negative sentiment in global media reports was found to be more prevalent in articles about African countries during elections when contrasted with comparable Asian countries during elections, even among countries with similar political risk scores.
An astonishing 88% of content about Kenya and 69% about Nigeria demonstrated negative bias, compared with 48% of content on Malasia, which has a similar medium risk profile.
Egypt’s coverage was more than twice as likely to be negative (66%) than Thailand’s (32%), even though both countries are classified as high-risk.
Overall negative bias was still present but reduced when a greater variety of media outlets were added to the equation, highlighting the importance of a diverse media landscape.
Election headlines and buzz words
Media headlines pertaining to African elections were often found to contain negative words, even when the text of the article didn’t align with the negativity of the headline, clearly demonstrating an Africa bias. The word “violence” or “violent” appeared much more often in headlines about Kenyan elections (5.8%), and Nigerian elections (4.4%) than in coverage of elections in Malaysia (.1%), Thailand (0%) and Denmark (0%).
The report found a significant increase in negative bias when covering elections in African countries, compared to elections in non-African countries with similar political risk profiles. For example:
Use of the word “rigged”, or “rigging” appeared in 16% of the articles about Kenyan elections, but in 2% of those about Malaysia and 0% of those about Denmark.
The word “corruption” or “corrupt” was found in 43% of the articles about South African elections and 28% of the articles covering Nigerian elections, compared with only 2% of those about Denmark’s elections and 20% about Thailand’s elections.
News around election periods was analyzed because that content is most likely to be covered by global media outlets.
The financial cost of media bias
Media representation impacts investor sentiment and perceptions of risk, influencing investment decisions and borrower interest rates. Comparing differences in bond yields and media representation between countries with similar political risk profiles reveals the disadvantage that negative media slant confers upon African countries. For example, while both Egypt and Thailand are considered high-risk, Egypt’s bond yields tend to be around 15% compared with Thailand’s 2.5%. The difference translates into significantly higher repayment costs.
Bond yields were disproportionately high even for low-risk African countries compared to their non-African counterparts. For example, South Africa and Denmark both rank as low in political risk, yet South Africa’s average quarterly bond yields range between 8.3% and 8.5% while Denmark’s range from 0.5% to negative 0.2%. Report authors calculate that if the difference in negative media sentiment was adjusted, South African bond yields would decrease by 0.05 %, resulting in big savings on interest repayments for the country.
The media can improve it’s Africa coverage
The New Global Media Index for Africa, produced by Africa No Filter, The Africa Center, and University of Cape Town, investigated a thousand news articles from twenty leading global media outlets. The researchers found that many of shortcomings noted in the report can be mitigated by acting on the following goals:
Broader Representation: Interview more diverse sources, including ordinary African citizens, women, and people from marginalized groups. Current coverage focuses on powerful men and elites.
Geographic Scope: Encompass a wider range of African countries. Many organizations treat the African continent as a monolith, hindering understanding of individual countries and narratives.
Topic Diversity: Provide greater balance by covering the arts, culture, innovation, technology, and positive development.
Depth of coverage: Delve deeper into narratives to better inform audiences about Africa’s complexities.
Critical Self-Examination: Regularly assess news practices and content to foster more accurate and nuanced coverage of African countries.
How to improve election coverage
Due to heightened news bias around elections, Africa No Filter released How to Write About an African Election: A Guide. The guide encourages media organizations to engage in more complex and nuanced coverage around elections by exploring unique angles, including stories of human interest and grassroots mobilization. Key take-aways:
Move away from the old “war room” approach to election coverage, which relies too heavily on official announcements and pre-scheduled events. Instead, notice stories of civic activity, peaceful government transitions, and democratic advancements.
Practice solutions journalism by highlighting positive initiatives, innovations, and successes.
Engage with the youth. Africa has the youngest population in the world. 78% of new voter registrations in South Africa are people aged 16 to 29, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), debunking the idea that young people are disengaged from politics. The guide suggests amplifying the voices of young citizens, as well as engaging them with platforms and formats they prefer.
The takeaway
The good news is that coverage of African countries has improved over the past 20 years, according to The Cost of Media Stereotypes to Africa, trending towards more positive tone and content. However, global media still tend to emphasize articles about poverty, problematic leadership, disease, corruption, and conflicts when reporting on events in African countries.
Considering the new data, it’s critical for media leaders to raise awareness of the tendency toward negative bias when it comes to coverage of African countries. In addition to the impact on bond yields, it is likely that negative press also has an impact on African tourism, development funding, foreign direct investment, and other potential revenue.
TikTok is becoming an increasingly important platform for content creators, brands and media companies of all kinds. That’s especially true for those seeking to connect with younger audiences. Today, young people take a distinctly different news journey than older generations in which social media and visually-led content plays a leading role. Specifically, about 40% of those under age 30 in the USA regularly get news from TikTok. That’s up from around 10% in 2020, highlighting how quickly this demographic is adopting the platform as part of their news diet/habits.
TikTok – once viewed as a passive entertainment platform – is evolving into an algorithmically driven engagement powerhouse for content of all kinds. Estimates of its audience size vary, spanning from a massive 1.5 billion to close to two billion users worldwide. Regardless of this variance, there’s no denying that the network has a huge reach, and that it has grown astronomically since launching globally in 2018. It’s now the sixth-largest social network in the world, and its users worldwide spend 34 hours a month on it. That’s way ahead of its rivals in terms of time spent.
“Roughly 170 million Americans use TikTok,” The New York Times noted earlier this year. “That’s half the population of the United States.” Charting 19 ways the platform has influenced American life, the Gray Lady observes that “Even if you’ve never opened the app, you’ve lived in a culture that exists downstream of what happens there.”
With that in mind, here are four things media companies need to know about TikTok, and how to harness it to reach new audiences effectively and build brand awareness, while at the same time making their content more accessible and relatable to younger consumers.
1. TikTok is a highly participatory social network
There’s a widely held misconception that TikTok is a “lean-back,” passive platform. However, new research from Weber Shandwick, a global communications and consulting firm, shows that TikTok consumption is more engaged and intentional than you might realize.
“Comments are king,” the report states, observing how “the comments section is where people go to learn more, fact-check claims, make jokes and attempt to make sense of what they have seen.”
Talking to Digital Content Next, Dr. Claire Wardle, a Cornell Professor who worked on this research, shared in more detail how users actively engage with TikTok content through the comments. This includes visiting the comments to determine if they agree, or not, with certain stories, the entertainment value they offer, as well as using insights from their peers to determine the veracity of a video. Many consumers see these behaviors as an intrinsic part of their experience on the platform.
For media companies, this may mean that engagement on TikTok should go beyond just creating content. It might require active involvement in the comment sections, given that this is where audiences spend a great deal of time and energy.
Determining the best way to do that, however, isn’t easy. “If I’m a publisher, what am I doing in the comments? What’s my role?” Wardle asks.
One potential solution stems from an idea proposed by Sophia Smith Galer. The freelance journalist and former BBC and Vice staffer has argued that newsrooms should encourage and support “individual journalist creators” on TikTok. It may be easier for people in that guise, to respond to comments on the platform, instead of through an anonymous brand account.
Nevertheless, despite the importance of TikTok’s comments section, Weber-Shandwick’s report cautions that this arena can be a home to trolls and other bad actors. Subsequently, “a detailed protocol for engagement in the comments of your own TikTok videos or videos posted by others is a must,” they advise.
2. Authenticity is key to audience-media connections on TikTok
Authentic was Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year in 2023. “Authentic (their italics) is what brands, social media influencers, and celebrities aspire to be,” the company said.
On TikTok, as with many other visually led social networks, perceptions of authenticity are fundamental to audience engagement. I say “perceptions” because, as Social Sprout points out, seemingly lo-fi content is often actually highly produced.
Nevertheless, at its heart, this is content that intentionally looks a little less polished. In turn, this rawness can also make it more relatable and accessible. Furthermore, this style of content may be seen as more trustworthy and authentic with younger audiences than traditional media, the latest Digital News Report found.
However, the style of content that often does well on TikTok may fly in the face of traditional media production values, and that can sometimes be difficult to reconcile.
That’s amplified by an anti-establishment feel that the platform has, a notion “that came through very strongly in the research,” Wardle says.
As a result, TikTok “is not an obvious place for The Wall Street Journal or CNN to turn up,” Wardle reflects. That’s partly based on the style of content on the network, user preferences – which lean towards independent creators – and a concern that media outlets just look like they’re trying too hard to fit in.
Nevertheless, it’s no surprise that the most successful brands on TikTok lean into authenticity. Morning Brew’s account, in my opinion, is a great example to learn from. It’s funny, irreverent and looks like the creators shot it in their home (perhaps they did). As a result, it fits seamlessly with the style and tone of other content in my feed, while also managing to make some valid points (on occasion).
For publishers, key ways to curate an authentic aesthetic include using more casual delivery styles, behind-the-scenes content, and collaborating with creators who understand TikTok’s culture. Adapting, or partnering, in this way matters if you want to be relevant on the platform.
3. Navigating algorithms when familiarity breeds contentment
Reflecting on how Americans use TikTok, the Pew Research Center recently highlighted the value of its recommendation technology, and in particular its “For You” page. For users, this is a highly curatable space, one that enables you to teach TikTok what you want to watch. As Buffer explains, that is part of the app’s secret sauce. “The blend of familiar and new content is tailored meticulously to user preferences, making the social network addictive and fresh,” they explain.
As a result, it’s perhaps not surprising that “users generally like the content the algorithm serves them,” Pew’s research found. Their data revealed that “40% of users say this content is either extremely or very interesting to them.” In contrast, just 14% of their survey respondents said this wasn’t relevant or interesting to them.
For brands and content creators, this makes it all the more important that users know you’re on the platform. If they’re not following you, it can be hard to find and discover you on TikTok.
The success of this algorithm is a key factor behind users devoting so much time on the app. eMarketer anticipates that Gen Z, adults aged 18-24, spend an average of 77 minutes per day on the platform.
There are long-standing concerns, however, that algorithms can create echo chambers. This could reduce the perspectives that audiences are exposed to and lay the foundations for misinformation.
TikTok users, it seems, actively embrace – and are highly cognizant of – these concerns. Users acknowledged that “I know I’m not seeing anything from the other side, but I really love that,” Wardle said. “I love that I never come across people who are different to me.”
Users are aware that they are in echo chambers, but rather than trying to break out of them, they revel in the familiarity of their feeds. And they also feel confident that if they need to step outside of their comfort zone, then they know how to do so.
Responding to this is challenging, especially for news outlets. But, rather than trying to fight the echo chamber, publishers may just want to lean into it. This may mean producing more non-news content, as well as niche or specialized content that resonates with specific audiences, alongside evergreen content, and material beyond the daily news cycle.
4. News media and social issues on TikTok
That said, despite these cultural and algorithmic challenges, news does still have a place on the platform. Despite its reputation for entertainment, TikTok has become an important arena for consuming news and discussing social issues.
In fact, many users report encountering social and political content regularly, even though TikTok is not traditionally seen as a news platform. The latest Digital News Report found that nearly a quarter (23%) of 18–24s in the markets they surveyed, use the platform for news, as did 13% of all digital news consumers.
“These averages hide rapid growth in Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia,” the authors note, with “more than a third now use the network for news every week in Thailand (39%) and Kenya (36%).” Figures are lower in countries like the United States (9%) and the UK (4%).
Perhaps more importantly, according to Weber Shandwick, although users don’t necessarily seek out news on the platform, they do stumble upon it through trending content.
Users often perceive that they see these stories first on TikTok, Wardle told us, with the mainstream media playing catch up. “Our survey results validated this,” Weber Shandwick’s research says, “77% of users said TikTok is where they first learn about news on political or social subjects at least some of the time.”
However, much of this news discovery does not come from traditional news brands. Instead, individual creators and commentators drive many of these conversations.
This once again reinforces the need for news organizations to partner with influencers and creators who have already mastered the platform’s style and audience. Encouraging individual journalists to build their own presence on TikTok may also help bridge the gap between traditional reporting and this new media landscape. Collectively, collaboration and empowering journalists to engage with the platform directly could be pivotal for ensuring many publisher’s stories reach and resonate with younger, highly engaged audiences.
So, is TikTok right for your media brand?
The size of TikTok’s audience suggests that the platform is too big to ignore. However, the style of content and community culture that flourishes on it can be difficult to tap into. As a result, publishers need to carefully consider if it is a good fit for them.
Media companies that can adapt to this environment will find opportunities for deeper connections with audiences. Meanwhile, those who simply see TikTok as just another outlet for distributing their content, often doing so in the same format as elsewhere, may struggle to make an impact.
Worse still, efforts to blend in risk being seen as trying too hard. “How do you show up in a way that doesn’t look like a dad dancing at the wedding?” Wardle asks.
Part 2! Better Explainer on Kamalas plan to expand #medicare to include #homehealth options vs Trump plan to privatize medicare and create a tax shelter? Out of it? Idk.. #kamalaharrispolicies
Audiences, Wardle says, are “kind of resisting” traditional players, preferring instead to get their content from native providers like Under The Desk News. A consistent favorite with my students, Kelsey Russell is a Media Literacy Influencer and Co-Host of First Stop News. Russell, the self-professed ‘Print Princess’ reads different newspapers and magazines to her audience, and has garnered nearly 100,000 TikTok followers in the process.
The key takeaway for publishers wanting to flourish on TikTok is to balance being relatable and informal, with being useful and entertaining. They need to do so in a way that doesn’t force humor or tap into trends in a way that feels inauthentic and “cringe.”
That’s potentially a tall order, and these efforts may not drive traffic to your site or other platforms in the way that most publishers have historically used social media.
Nevertheless, if media companies can foster authentic connections with audiences, this can help to build brand loyalty and awareness, potentially unlocking long-term benefits that go beyond simple click-through metrics.
As Enrique Anarte, a journalist at Context previously told IJNet, “You’re not on TikTok to go viral; you’re really on TikTok to reach the audience you wanted to reach.” “It’s better to get a video with lower views, but high positive engagement from the people you want to reach,” they added.
For many younger audiences, TikTok may be the first time they encounter your brand, creating a connection that may well pay even further dividends down the line. It won’t be for everyone, but if you’re prepared to play the long game, mix up your video style to fit in, and find the right people to collaborate with, then TikTok might well become a key plank in your social media strategy in 2024 and beyond.
It’s been nearly 20 years since Apple took podcasts mainstream, but the tech giant seems to be losing its grip on audio audiences: A recent study out this summer found that YouTube is now the most used podcast platform in the U.S.
That’s left some publishers and podcast production houses scrambling to figure out a video strategy to complement their audio-only offerings. But there’s at least one player in the game that seems well prepared for the platform shift: Crooked Media.
The company, which is focused on news, politics, and liberal-leaning commentary and analysis, currently boasts more than 40 podcasts in its portfolio. And video is a big part of Crooked Media’s strategy — but they’re not just playing on YouTube. The company is also pushing video content on TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter). And even better? Crooked Media is generating revenue along the way.
The YouTube video-podcasting strategy
“We started putting streams of Pod Save America on YouTube in early 2018,” says Matt DeGroot, the company’s vice president of production.
These days, every audio-only episode of an ongoing and regularly published Crooked podcast also has a video component, which is uploaded to YouTube. For Crooked, the foray into video has been part of a deliberate plan to grow its audience.
“Really the biggest impetus there and why we’ve pushed so hard is that people who consume podcasts on a traditional platform like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, tend to go to those platforms knowing exactly what they’re looking for. So, there isn’t a ton of discoverability,” DeGroot says.
“Everyone uses YouTube, and YouTube — for better or for worse — knows what people want to see. YouTube will find our shows and basically serve it up to people,” he says. “And people on YouTube might be a little more curious and willing to take a chance on new content.”
Over time, Crooked has built a significant audience that is unique to the platform. It has 10 channels and playlists that are updated regularly, and the company currently claims more than 1.2 million YouTube subscribers.
When a big news event happens, Crooked can leverage its political commentary and analysis from a show like Pod Save America and tap into an audience who may already be searching YouTube for information. “If there’s a big story happening and Pod Save America is doing an episode, reacting to it or explaining the context, that’s a great opportunity for someone new to sort of stumble upon it,” DeGroot says.
For example, earlier this month, the company posted a segment from Pod Save America that featured the hosts of the show discussing Vice President Kamala Harris’ debate performance, and global superstar Taylor Swift’s endorsement of the Democratic candidate.
Those events were dominating broadcast news, digital media outlets, and social platforms. And Crooked was there, ready and waiting for curious YouTubers to find them. Their video on the subject got nearly 730,000 streams as of this writing, and is one of the top 15 most popular videos on their channel.
“We’ve really been able to harness that power and seize those moments in a way that is hard to do on a podcast platform, where, like I said, people really know what they’re looking for when they open the app,” DeGroot says. “YouTube just gives us more opportunity to find new people.”
Beyond giving people a new entry point to their content, video gives audiences a new format to access the Crooked universe. “More and more with the advent of smart TVs, we’ve been seeing a lot of people who are really consuming the YouTube product from their televisions and treating it like watching the evening news,” DeGroot says.
This is especially true for older audiences.
“My mom, bless her heart, she does not know how to use a podcast,” DeGroot says. “She doesn’t know how to find a show there. But she knows YouTube and she knows how to type in Pod Save America and get to the channel and pull up the latest episode.”
However, while video has helped build Crooked Media’s audience, the experience remains audio-centric. “We get anecdotal comments of people saying, ‘Oh, I put this on while I’m making dinner.’ They may not be watching it a hundred percent with their eyes on the screen the whole time, so it’s still somewhat of an audio experience, because they’ll have it on in the background while they’re cooking.”
Cashing in on YouTube
Because the company publishes Crooked Media’s podcast content as YouTube videos, its ad sales team has more touch points to offer potential sponsors.
“YouTube runs ads and we have that aspect of monetization. But then our sales team also does sell against that for the podcasts,” DeGroot says. “So an episode of Pod Save America, for example, the ads that appear in the podcast when you listen are also in the YouTube version.” In this way, a client gets a two-for-one. It can buy ads from one media company and get two distinct audiences.
In addition to selling to two audiences, Crooked is also leveraging video content to create exclusive offerings for advertisers. “That’s something we’ve started doing this year — having a single sponsor,” DeGroot says. “Someone like ZBiotics sponsors Hysteria’s ‘This F*cking Guy’ series. So we’ll include a 30 second ad read in the middle of the video, and maybe a short mention of the sponsor at the beginning. It’s a great way to add that additional revenue and help pay for the production costs that do naturally come with video, because it is a time consuming and work intensive thing.”
However, Crooked is looking beyond advertisers when it comes to monetizing video. The company has a paid subscription offering — called “Friends of the Pod” — which provides subscribers with ad-free podcast feeds, bonus content from Crooked hosts, and the ability to talk directly with on-air talent on Crooked’s subscriber-only Discord server.
“Friends of the Pod” also get subscriber-only YouTube shows. “One is a weekly, called, Terminally Online, and then we have a couple biweekly shows — Dan Pfeiffer’s Poller Coaster, and another election special called Inside 2024,” DeGroot says. “Those are available as both audio and video components to subscribers.”
Social video strategy
While Crooked Media is going big on YouTube, it’s not the only social video platform the company is publishing on. “There are real opportunities in that sort of shorter form content,” DeGroot says. “We are not oblivious to the fact that a lot of people, if they see a video on YouTube even if it looks really appealing to them, if it’s 90 minutes long, they’ll say, ‘I don’t have time for that. I’m not gonna take a chance on this random video.’”
To counter this, Crooked Media will splice one of its full length episodes into shorter clips — something that’s 60 or 90 seconds long — and upload that content to TikTok, Instagram, or X. “People are willing to give that a chance,” DeGroot says. “They’ll see a video short clip and be like, ‘Oh, what are these people saying?’ And from there it draws them in and makes them curious to hear more,” which could lead them to YouTube or a podcast platform.
Pod Save America has about 14,000 followers on TikTok, but their short videos reach way more people than that. A recent post discussing a press conference that former President Donald Trump had garnered more than 100,000 views.
Crooked’s podcast host will also create what DeGroot calls “ancillary” content — behind the scenes moments that still speak to the brand’s broader tone. That might include the hosts’ live reaction to Donald Trump’s guilty verdict in his recent criminal trial, or an on the ground video message from the Democratic National Convention.
“For those videos that live on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube shorts, it’s a feature that we’ve been really pushing lately and finding a lot of success with,” DeGroot says. “We’ve found that doing those types of things really helps the content spread on those platforms and bring in new people who then get excited to watch the podcasts.”
For DeGroot, the video strategy across platforms is all about creating more touch points — for audiences and advertisers.
“It’s gonna take some time to build that audience, and you really have to nurture it over time,” he says. “As long as you keep on your patterns, stay with it, and stay consistent, you will get the rewards from that.”
Not that long ago, using the social web as a news distribution platform was a relatively straightforward process: all you had to do was grab the headline and maybe a photo and then post it to Twitter and Facebook — where most news publishers and journalists already had verified accounts with thousands or even tens of thousands of followers — and then watch the pageviews and clicks roll in. Over the past year or so, however, changes to both Twitter and Facebook have made the social-web approach less and less useful; in many ways, both services have gone from being either neutral or somewhat useful as a distribution mechanism to being actively hostile environments.
In the case of Twitter, now known as X, the acquisition by Elon Musk has changed the nature of the service in a number of ways. For one thing, the algorithm that determines who sees what has been altered, based on unknown criteria. So, many publishers and journalists now say they get less engagement from the platform than they were used to in the past. There also seems to be a lot more content that is racist, sexist, or is otherwise disturbing and/or uncomfortable — as a result of what Musk claims is a commitment to freedom of speech. All of this makes the platform seem like a much less hospitable environment for traditional news and journalistic content.
Facebook, meanwhile, has backtracked on some or all of the commitments it made in the past to journalism and the media, by canceling or downsizing funding it used to provide through a variety of programs under the former Facebook Journalism Project. Most of the staff associated with those programs have left or been reassigned, and the platform has made it clear that the newsfeed algorithm will not be promoting or recommending news content in general. Facebook and its parent Meta have removed news from the Canadian version of the service as a protest over a new law designed to force digital platforms to pay publishers for the news content they carry.
What is the fediverse?
Some see the emerging “fediverse” as a potential solution to these issues, or at the very least a workaround. As Rande Price recently wrote for DCN recently, the word fediverse is an umbrella term that covers dozens of different social platforms, from Mastodon (a Twitter alternative) to Lemmy, one of the fediverse’s would-be replacements for Reddit.
Each of these services has different features and a different design, but they all have a few things in common: they are all open source, meaning the source code that powers them is freely available for anyone to download and modify. They are also all “federated,” meaning they can interoperate with each other — posts or content from one service can be easily cross-posted to another platform, or at the very least they can be exported and then imported. This is all powered by an open-source programming system called ActivityPub.
That may not sound like a big deal, but when you think about the way that content is siloed in the current environment, it definitely sounds like an improvement. Twitter or X allows you to download all of your posts and other data in bulk — something that the previous management regime put in place — but it doesn’t make it easy to import it anywhere or do anything with it. Crossposting of tweets or posts can be automated with third-party tools such as Buffer or dlvr.it, but the process inevitably fails at certain points because Twitter and Facebook don’t really want you to crosspost things. Each of them wants your content to live on their platform and nowhere else.
One recent exception to this rule is Threads, the new-ish service from Meta. Launched in July of 2023 as a spin-off from Instagram, Threads grew rapidly — so rapidly that it was one of the fastest-growing social services in history, gaining 100 million users in a matter of days. In another first, Threads also said from the beginning that it wanted to join the fediverse by allowing Threads posts to be federated, so that people using a fediverse client could follow a user on Threads without having to set up their own Threads account. Others are also working on fediverse integration, including Tumblr, Flipboard, and Medium, and so are some individual publishers, including 404 Media and The Verge. While it’s difficult to say exactly how many people are part of the fediverse, one estimate puts the number at almost 12 million.
Meta has kept its Threads promise
It’s probably fair to say that there was a massive amount of skepticism about Meta’s pledge to join the fediverse, since the company is not exactly known for being open to other services. In fact, Facebook is notorious for down-ranking posts that contain external links, and Instagram won’t even let users post links with their content. Instead, they have to use a third-party service to add links to their bio, and then point users there, something that is so user-hostile it’s hard to believe that it still exists. Therefore, it seemed hard to believe that Meta’s hostility to external links would suddenly change.
As difficult as it might have been to believe, however, Meta actually followed through on its promise. In March, the Threads accounts belonging to Threads manager Adam Mosseri and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg joined the fediverse, when the company implemented a sharing or federation mechanism that allowed anyone with a Mastodon account to follow them from the Mastodon app without having to have a Threads account. Meta has said that it is now rolling out this feature across the service.
Why would Threads do this? One possible answer is that, since Threads is the underdog compared to Twitter, Meta is hoping to use integration with the fediverse as a lever to quickly expand its user base. One internet rule of thumb has been that platforms and services that see themselves as the underdog are alway much more interested in interoperability than incumbents or monopolies are. Whether smaller incumbents are willing to look favorably on this behavior is very much an open question. A number of servers have blocked Threads integration because they believe it is going to overwhelm their services, or because they view Facebook and its ilk as a negative element.
The upside of fediverse distribution
That’s one possible downside. However, for publishers and others interested in reaching the broadest cross-section of users, Threads joining the fediverse provides a potential positive solution. One of the problems with the fediverse from an institutional standpoint is that it consists of so many services — Mastodon, PeerTube, Pixelfed, and Friendica to name a few — with so many different terms of service and behavior rules and other criteria that it can be hard to navigate the landscape as a publisher or news outlet interested in distributing content in the most efficient way possible.
If Threads continues its push into the fediverse, that problem could be mitigated. In this case, all a publisher would have to do is post to Threads, and have that content distributed through all of the other services that Threads is federated to. While that may solve one problem, however, doing so could create two new potential problems. One is that posting content indiscriminately to multiple social networks can be seen by users as spam-like activity, and therefore might not be received well. A second problem is that doing this would mean ceding a lot of control over a publisher’s social strategy to Threads, and therefore to Meta, which some might see as a step backwards.
In some senses, it’s a Catch-22: publishers who try to make use of all of these different platforms individually could wind up stretching themselves too thin, producing little return from a social strategy. But those who outsource their distribution to Threads and the fediverse could also wind up getting hit by a backlash, which would blunt the effectiveness of the strategy. The only possible upside is that since the fediverse is still relatively new, it’s not totally clear how it is going to evolve. But those who spend a little time experimenting with it could find themselves ahead of the curve, and wind up learning a lot about social interaction along the way.
The shifting dynamics of the digital news industry are reshaping how outlets connect with audiences, and the definition of “journalist” is changing. Influencers on platforms like TikTok and YouTube successfully engage audiences in ways that traditional newsrooms sometimes struggle to achieve. As media consumption habits shift, the creator community offers a valuable vehicle for traditional news organizations.
By collaborating with influential creators, news outlets can access new, often younger, audiences they might overlook. Evolving its newsroom strategies, the Baltimore Banner surpassed subscription goals and expanded its newsroom to 80 staff members. Similarly, the 133-year-old Seattle Times reached record circulation levels, reflecting a broader trend of local and nonprofit outlets successfully adapting to new challenges.
The Poynter Institute’s new report highlights these trends. It identifies how the journalism industry increasingly relies on innovative strategies to adapt, with content creators and influencers playing a critical role in this transformation. While traditional news organizations face ongoing disruptions, this report shows that the demand for credible news remains strong.
Evolving newsroom
Poynter sees the rise of digital content creators, influencers, and the “creator economy” as an opportunity to redefine journalism. Rather than viewing them as purely competition for attention, traditional news organizations can collaborate with a new generation of content creators who bring fresh perspectives and innovative formats.
Social media influencers often cover viral stories, reaching those who get their news primarily from platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels. Working with content creators can help newsrooms diversify their storytelling formats and engage with younger, digitally savvy audiences. Journalists and creators both serve essential roles in the evolving news ecosystem.
Engaging audiences with news fatigue
Audiences face news fatigue. Wars, political instability, climate change, and economic uncertainty contribute to this exhaustion. However, it’s essential to recognize that news fatigue does not equate to a lack of interest in journalism. On the contrary, data from the Pew Research Center shows that news consumption remains steady, with audiences following major events like the 2024 elections more closely than in previous years.
News organizations must present these topics in ways that resonate with audiences. Context, relevance, and credibility are key to engaging readers and viewers. This is where the rise of the creator economy becomes highly useful. Content creators, with their ability to present news in relatable and entertaining formats, play a unique role in combating news fatigue.
Audiences today are fragmented, consuming information from various platforms and influencers. Journalists and content creators can embrace this reality by delivering tailored, high-quality stories serving distinct audiences. Poynter recommends that rather than diluting content out of fear that audiences will turn away, the focus should be on creating stories that provide context and actionable insights.
Newsrooms must innovate and adapt
Despite ongoing challenges in the news industry, organizations are finding ways to adapt. Collaboration between traditional journalists and digital content creators is key in this evolving landscape, each bringing distinct strengths. The Poynter report highlights the growing influence of creators and influencers in news delivery and building trust with younger audiences. It also explores how they are reshaping the broader media ecosystem.
As the industry transforms, one constant remains: high-quality journalism—whether produced by a traditional newsroom or a smartphone-wielding influencer—retains its crucial role in society. Together, these forces reshape how people consume and trust news. This partnership will shape journalism’s future, ensuring that reliable information reaches audiences in a digital-first world.
Despite the challenges thrown at publishers by obfuscating metrics or deliverability changes, newsletters continue to grow in importance. Media companies increasingly use email newsletters as a key tool for maintaining relationships with audiences away from social media, finding new readers, building habits, and opening new revenue streams.
At The Publisher Newsletter Summit, publishers came together to share strategies, advice and case studies on everything from newsletter monetization to audience growth.
Here are some of the strategies that they shared:
1. Don’t be afraid to center personalities
The role of journalists with followings has grown more complicated than ever in recent years. One theme that emerged at the Summit from a number of the sessions was that – if managed right – individual members of your team can serve as an incredible audience-building tool.
Women’s membership and community publisher Black Ballad started a newsletter from founder Tobi Oredein as a way to create a bond with the reader, because people build connections with humans, not brands. “Social media is very noisy,” Oredein outlined. Given that Black Ballad has paywall, she finds that “there is a barrier with people who can’t afford a membership. The newsletter is free, so everyone that’s signed up with their email gets that newsletter every week. So it’s a way to create that personal relationship.”
Leaning into this has also opened up revenue opportunities, although Oredein said that she chooses partner organizations very carefully. A recent campaign with the Founder’s Letter newsletter saw Black Ballad work with Maltesers around maternal mental health as Oredein was about to give birth to her second child.
“I wrote this newsletter on letting go of the Superwoman complex as a mum, second time around,” she explained. “It all came together and the newsletter opened the partnership; we had an editorial video that went alongside the essay, and it just went nuts. People loved the partnership. We realized that my personal newsletter opens up partnerships. Now the newsletter stands alone as the most requested advertising channel and is the most popular source of revenue for Black Ballad.”
There are risks with building newsletter audiences around individual journalists, but these can be managed. It’s an issue UK news brand The Telegraph faced when a big-name writer for their political newsletter left, and the team had to decide what to do next.
“We’ve grown [the newsletter] substantially since then,” Head of Newsletters Maire Bonheim said, explaining that they gave another political journalist a chance to fully front the newsletter. “He’s in your inbox at exactly 1pm every day. He’s really passionate about it, and he gives it his own edge. People have built up a habit and a relationship with him.”
2. Prioritize newsletters for retention and conversion
Special interest publisher Immediate Media monetizes many of its brands like Good Food and Gardeners’ World through subscriptions. Head of CRM and Customer Retention Matt Nash sees newsletters as playing a vital role in their subscription strategy, especially for long-term relationships.
“One of the big reasons why we’re so focused on newsletters from a subscription capacity is that 25% of our app subscribers received or read a newsletter before going on to subscribe,” he said. “So on average, there’s about 18 months between someone registering on Good Food and then converting to an app subscriber.”
“We also find that conversion from trials – mainly we run free trials going into paid subscriptions on the app – is around 10 percentage points higher for people that have previously been on our newsletter base before converting to a subscription.”
Nash shared that they have a two-part email strategy for pre- and post-subscription. The first half is focused around getting eyes on the website, showcasing the product and the subscription offers. “Every newsletter we send is an opportunity for us to try and convert someone if they look like they’re likely to subscribe,” he explained.
Once someone has converted, the focus switches to the “core readership phase,” where newsletters are part of a multi-channel tech stack optimized to try and get existing users to continue their subscription. The publisher uses a range of personalization options, from content type to send frequency and time to hit the readers at just the right frequency for them.
3. Consider repackaging content for educational courses
A number of publishers offer newsletter “courses” with a clear start and end point as an alternative way of engaging audiences. As part of its newsletter strategy, Pew Research Center launched an email course, which allowed them to leverage their reports and blog posts on U.S. Immigration. More recently The Guardian released a five-week email coaching plan called Reclaim Your Brain, which has attracted over 140,000 sign-ups.
Seeing examples like these, Ruth Hardy-Mullings, Head of Content at Community Care, a publication for social workers, wondered if newsletter courses could help solve some of their challenges. Their biggest driver of traffic was their weekly newsletter. She was also aware of the friction readers faced finding time to log onto the website and proactively seek out training content. A course delivered straight to their inbox would be a good way to prove value.
They launched some test courses in March 2021, delivering six emails a week over a three week period. “We took the content from longer guides and hosted it within the body of the email itself, so it solved that problem of having to go and log in on the site,” Hardy-Mullings explained. “Someone was able to open up their email, read the content and get that learning wherever they are, whether they’re in a car before they go and do a home visit, on their commute home, making use of those small amounts of time that people do have.”
Each email had a recap section at the beginning, a progress bar to keep people motivated, further reading links, and a reflective exercise at the end. Hardy-Mullings noted that signing up for a finite period of time was helpful for professionals who get thousands of emails. “The general feedback was that people really loved the convenience of the course and that format of learning, a good way that could genuinely fit into their working week,” she said.
Email courses may not suit every publisher. However, they can be a strong way of repurposing evergreen content, reducing friction points for membership organizations, or giving samples of journalism for paywalled publications, to name a few use cases.
4. Prioritize list-cleaning for a healthy newsletter strategy
One of the most revealing sessions at the Summit was Maire Bonheim and David Alexander, Head and Deputy Head of Newsletters respectively at The Telegraph. They talked about how to turn around an underperforming newsletter, and noted that they often have to use different tactics across almost 40 newsletters in their portfolio.
Alexander was keen to emphasize that although metrics have a place in your newsletter strategy, they need to be the right ones. “If you put all your effort into getting a massive list, and you trick people into signing up to your newsletter, they’ll get it. But no one will care because they didn’t mean to get it in the first place,” he explained. “You’ll have a massive list, and over time, your email provider will think it’s spam, and they’ll just put it in everybody’s junk. Pursuing vanity stats is a fool’s game. Massive lists are not the aim. You want people to read your stuff.”
Clearing lists and pursuing slower, more genuine engagement is a braver path to take, especially with other commercial and business pressures publishers face. Bonheim said that they have different time periods for list cleaning different newsletters. “If a newsletter is a daily send, then we wait a shorter amount of time before we list cleanse, whereas if something’s weekly or even monthly, we wait longer,” she explained.
The Telegraph was also facing an issue where when some marketing emails were sent to editorial newsletter segments, readers were getting confused and newsletters were ending up in the promotions tab.
“As a whole at The Telegraph… the volume of emails had gone up hugely, and we needed to get smarter about our overall email strategy and cleverer about who we segment and target,” Bonheim said, explaining that they send warnings about removing readers from lists if they don’t ‘Click to stay’. “So to combat that, we became much more stringent with our list cleanse emails, and that seems to be having a positive impact.”
The takeaway
These strategies may not work for every publisher, and one theme which emerged strongly from the Publisher Newsletter Summit is that newsletters can be used for a wide range of different purposes. The key is to be very clear for each newsletter what its purpose is, and how that will be measured.
“[Key metrics] are so different across all our titles,” said Alexander of his work on The Telegraph’s newsletters. “I’ve worked on newsletters that have had almost 1,000 words in them, and people want to read them more than anything. I’ve also looked after newsletters where it’s all about getting people through to the site. You have to be really clear on what’s important.”
Whether it’s exploring the potential of short email ‘courses’ or letting editors take a personal lead, there are plenty of ways to freshen up a newsletter strategy. But whether this is through iterative changes, pivots or launches, keep the newsletter’s purpose front and center.
In today’s media landscape, engaging younger audiences is both a challenge and an opportunity for newsrooms. Understanding the media habits and preferences of Gen Z is crucial for the sustainability and long-term relevance of players across the media industry.
Two recent papers, the latest Digital News Report and FT Strategies Next Gen News Study, offer valuable insights into younger audiences and strategies for effectively reaching and engaging them.
Here are the key trends media executives need to be aware of, followed by suggestions about how to act on them to improve engagement among young audiences.
Trend 1: A preference for digital
Not surprisingly, we need to start with (or truly accept) the shift away from traditional media habits. Having grown up with media on-demand and the ability to consume on mobile devices, younger audiences tend to access content very differently from their parents.
In terms of news media, as Nic Newman – the lead author of the Digital News Report – notes, younger audiences are “much less likely to use traditional sources such as TV and radio news and much more likely to access via social media, aggregators, and search.”
Instead, preference is usually given to both short-form and long-form video content on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. “The youngest group (Gen Z) are most likely to say that social media is their main source of news,” Newman adds.
Trend 2: Authenticity over traditional credentials
Another critical shift can be seen in concepts of credibility. Traditional benchmarks such as awards and brand recognition, hold less sway with younger consumers, observes FT Strategies’ Liat Fainman-Adelman.
Instead, perceptions of authenticity are key to this group’s definition of trustworthiness.
“Someone who identifies with a certain community / group or has lived through that event is seen as more credible in covering a related news event,” Fainman-Adelman explains. “Someone documenting their daily life in Ukraine on TikTok may be more popular and trusted than a trained journalist sent to cover the war.”
This trend helps explain the gravitation towards individuals over institutions seen in both reports.
“Young people want to feel connected to those who are delivering them news and information,” Fainman-Adelman contends. “It’s important for them to see who they really are and understand their underlying motivations.”
Trend 3: A level of news skepticism
Gen Z audiences want to understand the motivations and identities of the people behind the news. However, the formats used by many traditional media outlets often fail to speak to this need. In turn, this has led to a heightened skepticism towards the traditional news media.
“Individual contributors are seen as more personable and relatable than a faceless byline,” Fainman-Adelman says.
Subsequently, Newman explains, “because they are exposed to so many different sources, and see so many different perspectives, young people tend to [be] highly skeptical of most information and often question the ‘agenda’ of all news sources including mainstream news providers.”
This tendency is also heightened by the more “lean back” approach seen among many younger users, whereby they consume media in a more passive – and less intentional – manner. Their media experiences are often mediated through algorithms, rather than by going direct to specific sources.
That means this group is “much less likely to have a connection with traditional news brands preferring the news to come to them,” Newman says, observing how relationships are “driven more by relevance of the content itself rather than where it comes from.”
Trend 4: Broader definitions of “the news”
Younger audiences also have a looser, more fluid, interpretation of what is news and the trusted sources that are sharing it (e.g. alternative/independent sources, personalities and influencers).
As Newman outlined in an email interview, “young people make a distinction between ‘the news’ as the narrow, traditional agenda of politics and current affairs and ‘news’ as a much wider umbrella encompassing topics like sports, entertainment, celebrity gossip, culture, and science.
“Often they see narrow(ly-defined) news as a chore to spend as little time with as possible. But are prepared to spend more time with passions and diversions.”
Trend 5: Navigating information overload
Participants in FT Strategies’ study were born after the year 2000. “That’s had a pretty significant impact on how they interact with media and technology,” Fainman-Adelman told me via email.
Growing up in the digital age, young audiences are adept at filtering the large volume of content we are exposed to every day to find the material that interests them. That’s one reason why short-form media is particularly appealing to them.
And despite concerns about shorter attention spans, FT Strategies found that younger audiences do engage in long-form content (e.g. podcasts, online videos etc.) if it is of interest to them.
Five strategic recommendations for media companies to engage younger audiences
Given these insights, media players need to adopt a multifaceted approach to engage younger audiences. Of course, this demographic is not an homogeneous group. Nevertheless, we can identify a number of broad characteristics that publishers should be looking to adopt.
Here are five key approaches media executives need to implement (if you have not already):
Tactic 1: Embrace visually-oriented social networks
Prioritize platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where younger people spend much of their time. As Newman notes, the last few Digital News reports have shown that younger audiences are increasingly turning to these networks for news and other content.
Although media outlets tend to prioritize connections that they can monetize, Fainman-Adelman suggests “developing socially native content to build brand awareness on platforms (and eventually transitioning to more direct relationships).”
“Engaging the next generation will be crucial for legacy media’s sustainability and reducing the gap now will undoubtedly pay off in the long run,” Fainman-Adelman believes.
Tactic 2: Understand platform dynamics
YouTube, Instagram and TikTok have some shared qualities, but audiences use them differently. Creators need to tailor content based on the features and audience expectations of each network.
Fainman-Adelman advises, “Ensuring that news media is highly accessible (e.g., in terms of language, tone, humor) and engaging (e.g., multimedia, interactive, participatory). This “will be critical for building and retaining loyal audiences in the long run.”
Tactic 3: Emphasize authenticity
Shifts in tone are also key to providing a sense of intimacy and authenticity younger audiences crave. The Next Gen News report identifies “how social media personalities’ lived experiences boosted their authenticity and relatability when it came to certain topics.”
This can be hard for mainstream outlets to replicate. But, the Digital News Report highlights younger players – such as Dylan Page (aka News Daddy) in the UK, Vitus Spehar (best known for Under the Desk News on TikTok) in the USA and Hugo Travers (Hugo Décrypte) in France – which others can learn from.
Stressing transparency in reporting processes and clearly distinguishing between news, analysis, and opinion can also help build credibility among skeptical younger viewers.
Tactic 4: Embrace diversity
This can take many forms, including using formats such as short videos, podcasts, and interactive articles that are engaging and accessible. Broadening the range of topics covered and adopting a more conversational tone can also make news more appealing to Gen Z audiences.
Meanwhile, FT Strategies make the case for “partnering with creators, empowering editorial talent to share their [personal] stories, and … [hiring] younger and more diverse journalists who are permitted to express themselves in an authentic way, particularly on social media.”
Sophia Smith Galer (ex-BBC and Vice News) and Taylor Lorenz (The Washington Post) were identified by the report’s Advisory Board as exemplars with large social media followings who enable “their authentic personalities to shine through their work.”
Tactic 5: Change the narrative
“One of the most profound shifts we’ve seen among younger audiences is who and what they see as trustworthy” Fainman-Adelman says.
Media players need to learn from this and avoid doing things the way that they always have done. Afterall, for many younger audiences, these tried and trusted techniques don’t resonate with them.
Changing the paradigm means being clearer about editorial processes, funding sources, and potential biases. A genuine openness to feedback and audience engagement also matters.
Incorporating solutions journalism and more positive narratives may also help. Offering content that provides hope and inspires action can resonate with younger demographics (and others), moving away from the “doom and gloom” narrative many consumers associate with the media.
Bringing it all together
Engaging more effectively with younger audiences requires a deep understanding of their media habits and preferences. There are also potential long-term benefits to this too. As Fainman-Adelman reminds us, “several studies show that young people are often accurate predictors for broader shifts in society.”
Existing trends like widespread multimedia consumption, passively accessing content via social and other indirect ways (instead of doing direct), as well as a desire for shifts in the tone and breadth of content being provided, are here to stay. And they are only going to become more mainstream.
As a result, media players must be willing to experiment with new formats and approaches. These should prioritize authenticity, relevance, diverse content and more diverse voices. Through this, news organizations and publishers will be better placed to build trust and loyalty among younger audiences.
In doing this, Newman reminds us that “mainstream news brands cannot please all young people all the time due to the fragmented ways in which they consume media.” But, he says, “they can give themselves a better chance of being chosen more often.”
As the media landscape continues to evolve, those who adapt will not only survive but thrive. In an increasingly fragmented environment, adopting these strategies to connect with younger audiences can transform media organizations into trusted and preferred content sources for both the next generation and everyone else.
