Today’s audiences spend time endlessly scrolling social media, but the trusted media experience must be different. Readers turn to established news organizations because they trust the source. They expect responsible reporting, editorial insight, and a focus on public interest — all of which is lost when a click-chasing algorithmic approach is employed.
The Reuters report, “Journalism, Media, and Technology Trends and Predictions 2025,” highlights how informed personalization and audience engagement are essential for building loyalty and driving long-term success. Publishers who embrace these strategies and use their data effectively are better positioned to meet audience needs, grow first-party data, and boost subscription rates.
This trend underlines the urgent need to stand apart from social platforms. If news sites adopt the same type of recommender algorithm, they risk losing their editorial identity.
Informed personalization provides a path forward. By embedding journalistic values and editorial oversight into the recommender system, newsrooms can maintain the trust that sets them apart from social media. Below, we’ll examine the pitfalls of existing recommender algorithms and show how informed personalization solves them.
Two major pitfalls of personalization today
Black box algorithms
Conventional recommender algorithms are effectively “black boxes.” They learn from user clicks and engagement without revealing how they prioritize content. This lack of transparency poses two serious threats:
Eroded editorial control: Journalists lose influence over which topics and stories are highlighted if algorithms simply chase the most popular topics.
Reduced reader trust: If people feel the site is driven by the same click-based priorities as a social feed, they question its credibility.
When editorial media relies on a purely automated recommender algorithm, it begins to resemble social media. It loses the distinct editorial voice that readers expect from a trustworthy news source.
Echo chambers
Another hazard is the creation of echo chambers. Algorithms that serve “more of the same” can trap readers in content silos, preventing them from discovering essential stories outside their usual interests. For media organizations — which prides itself on a broad, informed perspective — this is a direct clash with its mission:
Narrowed coverage: Readers may see content that matches their past clicks rather than content editors deem truly newsworthy.
Weakened public discourse: Journalism aims to inform and challenge assumptions, not just reinforce them.
Both pitfalls blur the line between editorial media and social media. If a news site’s personalization is no different from a social feed’s, why would readers continue to trust it?
Enter informed personalization
Responsible media executives need to push back against the click-driven personalization that social media has normalized. Our purpose is not wasting readers’ time with endless scrolling — it’s about using it to make them smarter, more informed (and yes, sometimes entertain or divert them). This is why the algorithm must be informed by editors so it starts working for us, not the other way around.
This is why I believe it’s time to introduce a new term:
Informed Personalization is a transparent, ethical approach to content personalization in news media, where algorithms are built in close collaboration with editorial teams to maintain journalistic integrity, foster diverse perspectives, and avoid echo chambers. It discards the “black box,” offering an open, controlled system that strengthens audience trust.
Let me give some examples where I believe journalists play a crucial role in informing the recommender system:
When engagement doesn’t equal importance
The most important article isn’t always the one that performs best in terms of clicks. I’ve often seen stories of critical importance chosen by editors struggle to compete with lighter, more trivial pieces in terms of engagement. That’s why it’s crucial for editors to have the ability to override algorithmic recommendations, just as naturally as they prioritize stories on a homepage.
Example: It should be possible to pin articles on top of any recommendation
Keeping evergreen stories alive
Older articles can still hold great value, especially if they’re unique to your brand. The challenge is ensuring that these pieces don’t get buried by fleeting, short-lived news with limited shelf life. These evergreen stories are particularly important for infrequent or first-time visitors, who may not have encountered them before – making them the perfect candidates for a well-designed recommender system.
Creating variation
Articles can be tagged with attributes like section, tone, user needs, or content type—many of which can be automated by AI. These tags are key to keeping recommendations varied and readers engaged. People lose interest quickly, so it’s important to offer as much variety as possible, not just in content but also in how it’s presented.
Pro tip: If your recommender system tends to suggest multiple articles from the same section, try mixing in the best articles from other categories. Readers often prefer fresh, breaking stories from other areas over older content in the same section.
The best systems also play with design to create variation, using different layouts and formats to keep things fresh. A big trend we’re seeing now is how publishers even create multiple versions of the same content, tailoring it for different users to make it feel more relevant.
Conclusion
At a time when social platforms reduce fact-checking and feed users more of the same political content, informed personalization stands as a beacon of responsible, human-driven curation. It respects editorial judgment, fights echo chambers, and aligns with broader goals like loyalty and subscription growth. Above all, it keeps journalists in charge of the news experience. Remember, you’re in the media business. But your currency is trust.
Apps are hot again. After the boom in investment in interactive publisher apps in the early 2010s failed to produce much in terms of audience growth or return on investment, many publishers quietly closed their apps, turning instead to putting content on social platforms and relying on responsive design for the mobile experience. But app strategy for media brands is shifting.
As the cost of producing apps comes down, coupled with the intense competition for attention on platforms, publishers are reconsidering their app-approach.
The intent is different this time, however. Rather than being a vehicle to drive discovery, publishers like the FT with lightweight offering FT Edit, the New York Times’ subscription-only NYT Audio app, and even start-ups like the Baltimore Banner are using their own apps to build deeper relationships with superfans.
New York Magazine is the latest publisher to take another look at apps. They previously launched one in 2013; a replica of the print magazine with interactive features, which was shut down a few years later.
Last month, they announced the launch of a new flagship mobile app. Notably, it includes all six of New York Magazine’s verticals as well: Intelligencer, The Cut, Vulture, The Strategist, Curbed, and Grub Street.
So what made an app an attractive proposition this time around, and what are their primary aims with it? “Over 70% of our readers read on mobile,” Priyanka Arya, SVP of consumer revenue at Vox Media said. “Mobile is the primary point of entry, and the primary reading experience for our subscribers and readers. So we wanted to create the best reading experience for those users.”
Arya also said that an app was one of the top features requested by subscribers, both through solicited and unsolicited feedback. As a result, the team decided to look at creating a mobile-first experience that would first and foremost serve subscribers.
Strategy: One app, six titles
The decision to have all six verticals within one app may seem unusual, but it reflects the subscription setup of New York Magazine. Rather than offer standalone subscriptions to each vertical, readers who wish to access Vulture or Curbed instead pay for a New York Magazine subscription which gets them access across all verticals.
Arya emphasized that having the verticals and the appropriate branding was important rather than pooling articles across the portfolio by topic, for example.
“We see very different behavior across our audience,” Arya said, explaining why they offered them all in one app. “There’s folks who really go deep into one vertical, there are folks who enjoy multiple and go across our portfolio, and we wanted to create an experience that served both users as well as enhanced discovery for those who may only be single-vertical readers.”
When users enter the app, there are a variety of different experiences they can have. If they’re very focused on one vertical, they can set it as their homepage and tailor the experience. But Arya said that they make an active effort to encourage people to read across the brands with toggle options for quick takes, deep divers and long reads. “We see folks who do read across verticals are among the highest engaged and highest retained,” she noted.
The app therefore also serves as a discovery vehicle for these other brands. Readers may have different levels of familiarity with other verticals when they subscribe. “We see through our newsletter efforts that there may be loyal Vulture readers or The Cut readers who are just going to those home pages, so they’re not experiencing everything that we’re putting in print or we’re putting in some of our other verticals,” Arya pointed out. “But they tend to really enjoy it when they do find [others].”
A premium reading experience
Rather than a bells-and-whistles experience, app users these days seek clean, fast-loading reading. But publishers still have to develop a strategy that differentiates their app experience from web browsing to encourage downloads.
The New York Magazine app has built in a number of features to offer a premium experience. As noted above, there are convenient toggles between brands, and the ability to set a homepage while easily navigating to other sites. The app also offers personalized notifications so readers can get alerts for what they most care about, and a better ad experience than on browser.
Perhaps the most compelling proposition of the app is curation. The app includes a ‘Great Stories’ section that pulls together a curation of timely stories and the best pieces from across the portfolio, selected by editors.
“Our feature stories that run in our print magazine and across the portfolio online are among our most popular no matter what interests you may have or vertical affinity you may have,” Arya explained. “That is a place that doesn’t exist on web that can really help you navigate through some of our best pieces and read what our editors are recommending.”
Helping users find the best stories without the help of algorithms is an increasingly appealing prospect. Because personalization was available for push notifications, the team were keen to have somewhere to showcase the best of their editorial across brands, with human curation.
A long-term play
For many publishers, return on investment (ROI) can be a stumbling point for apps. Although they’re cheaper than ever, they do still require upfront investment, often without the promise of short-term, or even medium-term returns.
For Arya, the app is a long-term investment. “What we’re hoping is by getting as many subscribers as we can to download and use the app, we can increase engagement and therefore retention,” she explained. “There’s a pretty lucrative argument around retention, which is always a longer term play, but a much more sustainable play.”
“Our top 20% engaged subscribers have a 30 to 40% higher retention rate than our average subscriber. That’s substantial. So our goal is to continue to move more people into higher engaged tiers.”
Retention increases are far from an overnight task. But a better retention outcome translates to a solid – and more sustainable – revenue outcome in the long term.
Although the New York Magazine app is primarily a retention play, Vox has a strategy for encouraging non-subscribers to download the app with the goal of converting them later. Users have to create an account up-front. Then they get a number of free articles before hitting the subscriber wall, similar to the web experience.
“We built the app with our subscribers in mind; a lot of the feature development was looking at those reader habits and building for them,” said Arya. “But we are encouraging readers who aren’t subscribers to download the app, and we do have a strategy to engage them within the app and ideally convert them.”
Promising early results
At the time of writing, the New York Magazine app is in the top #10 of the Magazines and Newspapers section of the app store. It also has very good ratings and feedback, and requests are already coming in from subscribers for features such as saving and favoriting articles. An Android version of the app is also in the works.
Crucially, Arya sees it as more important than ever that publishers focus on their own properties. “With algorithms changing and platforms constantly changing, betting on your direct traffic and your loyal audience is something that’s been really important to us, and I think should be for other publishers,” she emphasized.
As the dust settles on 2024’s festivities and we embark on a new year, media organizations will again consider how to navigate shrinking budgets, shifting audience expectations, and new technologies like AI. From redefining how journalists work to creating hyper-engaging and localized content, digital media must adapt to a competitive environment where relevance and trust are paramount.
Building trust through transparency and humanization
Trust in the media will remain a pressing issue this year, and taking steps to address it will be critical to ongoing media strategies. Audiences are increasingly skeptical of faceless institutions. They demand greater transparency in how stories are reported, making it vital for journalists to adopt a more human-centric approach by showcasing the people behind the bylines and the process behind news and information.
Media outlets must make their reporting processes visible by showing how information is sourced, verified, and fact checked. Moreover, humanizing journalists by highlighting their expertise, motivations, and personal stories can bridge the current gap between the media and the public.
Behind-the-scenes insights and candid discussions about reporting challenges within storytelling can make journalists more relatable, fostering trust and connection with audiences. Using formats like live comment blocks, which allow journalists to connect personally with their audience, makes it easier and more authentic to highlight their commitment to truth, fairness, and serving their communities. This openness builds accountability, combats misinformation, and fosters trust. In an era of media mistrust, these practices are beneficial and essential for journalism’s long-term survival and relevance.
Interactive micro-content: Winning the battle for attention
Shrinking attention spans and the popularity of short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram are reshaping how audiences consume content. Media organizations must evolve beyond traditional storytelling to deliver snackable, interactive micro-content that captures and retains attention.
In 2025, this will mean offering dynamic formats like live Q&A sessions with relevant authorities on a topic, live comment blocks to enable direct interaction, polls, and real-time updates that invite audience participation. Such features bridge the gap between passive consumption and active engagement, allowing media outlets to compete with social platforms for user attention. For example, German title FAZ used a live poll in US election coverage that garnered over 8,000 responses. By blending concise video content with interactive elements, digital publishers can create a loyal and participatory audience base, especially among younger demographics.
Hyper-localization: A lifeline for local media
Local newsrooms have faced significant challenges in the digital age. Among the biggest is the loss of advertisers to tech giants and struggling to maintain relevance in fragmented markets. However, hyper-local content offers a path to revitalization.
In particular, sports coverage presents an untapped opportunity to engage readers. Community and smaller league sports resonate deeply with local audiences, fostering a sense of connection and pride. Local outlets can rebuild trust and attract a loyal readership by focusing on these niche stories.
Beyond sports, local media that reflect the lives and interests of its community can gain traction by delivering tailored content that resonates emotionally and provides a platform for underrepresented voices. This approach not only helps to drive subscriptions but also counters misinformation by establishing trusted, credible platforms for civic engagement, combating the rise of the ‘news desert’ into which more extreme voices can creep.
Mobile-first and multi-screen engagement
Mobile-first strategies remain critical as audiences increasingly access content on the go. If this hasn’t already been a focus before 2025, media companies will need to optimize platforms for seamless mobile experiences, with responsive designs and easy-to-navigate interfaces.
At the same time, the rise of multi-screen usage will encourage outlets to complement televised or streamed events with mobile-friendly content, as with The Irish Independent’s Eurovision Song Contest live blog. Features like real-time stats, behind-the-scenes commentary, instant analysis, and viewer participation via comments provide added value for audiences wanting to deepen their connection to events.
AI and journalists: A partnership in efficiency
In 2025, journalists will increasingly turn to AI to enhance their workflows. Against the backdrop of budget cuts and leaner teams, particularly in local newsrooms, AI’s role in automating time-intensive tasks will allow journalists to focus on crafting compelling, human-centered stories. While fully AI-generated content remains controversial, applications like translation, data analysis, summarization, social media optimization and tone adjustments will become essential tools.
AI-powered audience tracking and personalization algorithms will also help to identify trends and inform publishing strategies, ensuring that content reaches the right audience at the right time and fostering deeper engagement. This targeted approach has the power to strengthen reader loyalty and drive subscription growth by delivering highly relevant content tailored to individual preferences.
Balancing broad appeal with niche interests
Indeed, understanding audience preferences will be a cornerstone of successful content strategies in 2025. Breaking news stories draw broad audiences, offering visibility and initial engagement opportunities. However, sustaining reader interest and dwell time requires niche content that aligns with individual passions and interests.
Media companies that deliver a mix of timely, high-profile stories and in-depth coverage of specialized topics—whether in politics, lifestyle, or technology—will position themselves as indispensable resources. This balance of breadth and depth enhances engagement and encourages subscriptions, as readers see consistent value in a publisher’s offerings.
New Year’s resolutions
In 2025, the emphasis for digital media companies will remain on innovation, relevance, and trust. Media organizations can thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape by leveraging AI to optimize workflows, creating engaging micro-content, focusing on localized and hyper-relevant reporting, and building transparent relationships with audiences. Personalization will be pivotal in driving loyalty and revenue, ensuring publishers remain relevant and, in fact, essential to their readers’ lives.
And, of course, it would be remiss of me not to point out that live blogs can help deliver on all these strategies. With their ability to provide real-time updates, foster audience interaction, and offer a platform for hyper-local and personalized content, live blogs are a powerful tool for building trust, engaging audiences, and maintaining relevance in a fast-paced digital world. By combining immediacy with transparency and interactivity, live blogs can anchor a content strategy that meets the demands of 2025 and beyond.
As we barrel into the new year and all that awaits, the media industry is at the nexus of technological disruption, regulatory upheaval, and changing consumer sentiment in terms of media and expectations for it. From the rise of artificial intelligence to intensifying antitrust enforcement and the shifting stance of dominant platforms, the stakes for publishers and content companies have never been higher.
Here’s a look at five critical trends in the media landscape and what they may mean in the future.
1. AI disruption triggers both innovation and legal challenges
Artificial intelligence is reshaping content creation and distribution with breakneck speed. AI-generated search results are increasingly the norm, while the fate of the underlying articles and video remains murky. Publishers are leveraging AI to scale production, personalize experiences, and streamline workflow. However, while this boom propels media forward, the underlying AI models are contentious in their devaluation – or outright dismissal of – property rights, IP, and the fair value of content, not to mention debate around the quality and accuracy of AI generated search results and source attribution.
In 2025, marquee copyright cases are slated for trial. Courts will tackle questions about how intellectual property laws apply to works created or transformed by AI rather than humans. At stake are the legality of using copyrighted material to train AI models and the extent to which those models can monetize their output while risking, if not entirely supplanting, the clear licensing opportunity for publishers. These rulings will set precedents and could rewrite the rules of the road for both AI developers and publishers.
Joining the groundswell, Canadian media orgs jumped in last week by collectively suing OpenAI, alleging unauthorized use of their news reporting to train its models. Similar lawsuits are expected to continue globally as publishers push for enforcement against misappropriation and/or copyright violations of their work.
Media companies must once again prepare for these shifts by walking and chewing gum at the same time. As ever, publishers must safeguard their media content while continuously experimenting. The challenge will be striking the balance between embracing AI’s potential and ensuring accountability with their strategic technical platform partners.
2. The role of a free and plural press amid political threats
In this era of heightened political tensions, the role of the press as a democratic watchdog is paramount. In the U.S., the new administration brings with it a wave of uncertainty. Media leaders watch with a wary eye as leadership nominations roll in.
Concerns about surveillance, legal pressures and expense, and erosion of journalistic protections here and around the world are intensifying (to say the least). Globally, authoritarian regimes are leaning on tech to suppress dissent and control narratives, challenging the resilience of independent media.
For publishers, protecting and promoting a pluralistic media ecosystem is essential. This means investing in news reporting, supporting press freedom initiatives, and maintaining commitments to accuracy and integrity despite political pressures. As threats to press freedom grow, a robust fourth estate remains critical to the industry’s long-term viability as well as to democracy itself.
3. Social platforms: shifting sands in distribution
Social media’s dominance in content distribution is being reshaped by user migration. Elon Musk’s tumultuous leadership of X (formerly Twitter) has alienated advertisers and much of its user base, notably journalists. This has fueled the rapid rise of Bluesky, a decentralized alternative designed to resist the power of billionaires and governments. Remarkably, Bluesky is approaching or has surpassed Meta’s Threads in certain usage metrics. Bluesky’s embrace of open-web principles and support for journalism – very different from the current suppression of links on X and Threads – has further endeared it to journalists and publishers.
These platform shifts come amid the FTC v. Meta antitrust trial, scheduled for April 2025. Although the legal complaint focuses on the relevant market of social media built around the personal social graph (thereby excluding X, Bluesky, Threads, and LinkedIn), the dynamics of platform competition remain crucial for publishers to connect with new audiences where they want to be reached. It is also as yet unclear how the incoming Trump administration will respond to a potential ban of TikTok, which is set to hit a key milestone the day before his inauguration.
For media companies, platform diversification has long been a requirement. Relying too heavily on any one distribution channel leaves brands vulnerable to algorithm changes, shifting user sentiment, and unpredictable policy shifts. Building owned-and-operated platforms, prioritizing direct relationships with audiences, and leveraging multiple distribution channels are essential strategies to ensure resilience in this fragmented ecosystem.
4. Regulatory and court interventions reshape big tech
2025 is shaping up to be a watershed year for antitrust regulation and enforcement. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has already won its search antitrust case, calling for the divestiture of Google’s Chrome browser and potentially its Android operating system. Meanwhile, the DOJ’s Virginia adtech case (expected to result in another major win) foreshadows broader changes to Google’s dominance in digital advertising. Next up: the Texas adtech trial in March, followed by the previously mentioned FTC antitrust case against Meta.
Beyond the U.S., Canada’s competition regulator called for the breakup of Google’s adtech business last week, with the European Union likely to follow suit. These developments could significantly reshape the global ad market, which would offer publishers an opportunity to regain control over their data and revenue streams.
However, it also introduces uncertainty. Navigating new partnerships, technologies, and regulatory frameworks will require adaptability and leaning into a long-term strategy while bearing short-term headaches (read: costs). Building strong first-party data capabilities and exploring alternative adtech solutions will be crucial for growth in this evolving environment.
5. Advertising reinvented: privacy, AI, and accountability
Advertising is undergoing a transformation driven by consumer privacy concerns and regulation. The death of third-party cookies and the rise of privacy-focused technologies have elevated the importance of first-party data. This means that publishers’ direct relationships with audiences and the high-quality content they provide are more valuable than ever.
Google’s antitrust challenges are also poised to reshape the future of advertising. The cases brought against the company globally allege manipulation of ad auctions and abuse of its monopoly power to harm publishers and consumers alike. If successful, these actions could reinvigorate competition and enable publishers to negotiate better terms, which would have been available for the past 10 years if it weren’t for Google’s behaviors. The greatest fruit of Google’s abuses across search and adtech may well be YouTube where Google has been able to marry its unparalleled access to search, location, web-wide browsing, and adtech data with the largest pool of streaming video inventory on earth. It will be interesting to see if this attracts regulatory scrutiny in 2025.
At the same time, AI is accelerating the evolution of advertising strategies. Predictive targeting, on the fly ad creative, and more advanced tech to control ad campaigns are helping large platforms capture new dollars from offline retail media while better maintaining privacy. For publishers, a dual focus on consumer trust and innovative monetization will be critical for success if they want to peel off some of these dollars.
Outlook: shaping the future of media
In 2025, the media industry is defined by rapid change and high stakes. From AI-driven innovation and platform fragmentation to regulatory challenges and shifting consumer expectations, content companies face a complex and evolving landscape. Success will require a commitment to trust, adaptability, and creativity.
As DCN has long advocated, publishers prepared for these shifts – whether through diversifying revenue streams, strengthening first-party data, or doubling down on audience relationships – will be well-positioned to survive if not thrive. In this new era of accountability and competition, it’s not just about outlasting disruption; it’s about shaping what comes next.
As the media’s use of artificial intelligence grows, so do questions from audiences and advertisers about how they’re using it. While media companies experiment and find ways to integrate AI tools into their businesses, there’s also a need for increased transparency and disclosure around their use of AI.
Here are several ways media companies are leveraging AI in their operations and practical tips for enhancing transparency and fostering open communication with audiences.
How media companies are implementing AI
If AI could be summed up in one word in the past year, it would be experimentation. Many media companies have begun to add AI tools to their workflows to accomplish tasks such as brainstorming headlines, transcribing interviews, summarizing research or analyzing data. These use-cases help media companies improve workflows and increase efficiency.
Jennifer Bertetto, president and CEO of Trib Total Media and 535media, said her company employs AI-driven solutions to streamline reporting processes and surface content for its audience.
“AI is instrumental in personalizing content recommendations, refining advertising strategies and driving overall business efficiency,” Bertetto said. “By harnessing AI’s capabilities, we are committed to delivering superior content, fostering deeper audience engagement and ensuring sustainable growth.”
Best practices for disclosing AI use
A recent survey by Trusting News and Online News Association (ONA) revealed that nearly 94% of news consumers want newsrooms to disclose how they use AI. And more than half seek to understand what tools were implemented and how they were used during the reporting process.
To help media companies determine how to communicate this to their audiences, Poynter developed a guide to creating an AI ethics policy, which includes recommendations such as forming an AI committee and including representatives from all departments to weigh in on issues and set policies.
Aaron Kotarek, who was recently senior vice president of audience and operations for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser/Oahu Publications, Inc., and is now general manager and chief operating officer at The Spokesman-Review, led the Star-Advertiser’s AI task force. “We took great pride at OPI as it pertained to accuracy and credibility. We did not want to risk our reputation in the communities we serve by executing something rash,” Kotarek said.
Poynter also recommends dividing AI decision-making into three categories — audience-facing, business uses and back-end reporting. They also suggest that media organizations develop standards around each of these areas.
Trusting News, an organization to help journalists earn audience trust, created an AI Trust Kit for newsrooms to help media companies establish internal guidelines and public-facing policies for governing AI practices. The kit also offers tips on what to disclose including why journalists use AI, how they use it and how human oversight has been integrated into the editorial process.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) created an AI Risk Management Framework to improve the trustworthiness of AI. The U.S. Department of Commerce developed this document to help companies think about, communicate, measure and monitor AI’s potential risks and positive impacts.
The Alliance for Audited Media is also working with publisher clients to help them navigate AI concerns and understand and implement industry best practices, drawing on experience certifying media companies in privacy and data protection programs and journalism ethics.
As AI continues to shape the media landscape, its responsible implementation and transparent disclosure is key to maintaining audience trust. By embracing best practices and leveraging industry resources, media companies can continue to innovate while upholding their commitment to quality and accountability.
As news consumption evolves, The New York Times’ R&D Lab department is at the forefront of redefining how stories are told. Their goal? To enhance the narrative experience without sacrificing journalistic integrity.
With a focus on exploring how emerging technologies can be applied in service of journalism, the department is proving that innovation can enrich journalism rather than distract from it. But it’s a fine balance. In a landscape littered with shiny new things, where innovation is often considered a buzzword, the R&D Lab team pioneer new technologies to serve the story.
Scott Lowenstein, director of research and development strategy at The New York Times, oversees the R&D team, leading experimentation with the next generation of storytelling. The R&D group is a mostly technical team that works on applications of emerging technology in the service of journalism, but also for their products and business, he explained.
From the NYT’s R&D Lab’s experiments in mixed reality journalism.
The launch of virtual reality (VR) in 2016 marked a significant achievement, as the R&D Lab created over 30 immersive films that showcased the narrative potential of VR. The films received high viewer engagement marked by over 1 million downloads of their VR app. In 2017, the team supported newsroom storytelling by integrating emerging technologies like mixed reality and connected home devices, while also improving public figure identification in photos through automation.
In 2021, the team developed the Times’ first AR game and animated sequences for augmented reality, continuing to explore spatial journalism and improve media transmission with 5G technology. By 2022, they emphasized integrating locative data and spatial understanding into journalism, aiming to better reflect and connect with communities, thus enhancing storytelling.
“Never ending cycle of exciting, interesting problems to tackle”
A lot of the R&D team’s work starts when Times’ staffers come to them with an ambitious project they’d like to do, but don’t know where to start. Lowenstein said the team does their research on technologies, the latest tools in the market, and projects in adjacent industries from architecture to game design.
“We prioritize the ones that feel achievable. We find the technology to match the ambition of the story,” Lowenstein said. “We will oftentimes say, this technology is really cool, but it’s not ready. But, when we do find an idea that works and match it well with the story, then we’ll help that team come up with the first execution.”
And, when the team finds a technology that works, they’ll find ways to make it repeatable, so that future stories within The Times can use it. “We’ll also often open source our work and share it with a broader journalism community to help replicate what we’ve done.”
spatial journalism in a broad sense, which encompasses things from 3D to mixed reality and virtual reality.
“The mission is to try to use these tools in service of great storytelling and not try to do something gimmicky. Instead, we want do something where this new tool could help us do what we couldn’t do before,” Lowenstein said.
A lot of the projects are seriously ambitious. They’re not only hard to do, but they also require a large team of technologists, editors, and resources. So, the Lab is invested in how to facilitate this process.
“A lot of our ambition is trying to just make that whole process easier for the teams so that they can just say, we want to do this and that they can do it the same day,” Lowenstein said. “Some of it is building software and templates and things that don’t require a super-specialized 3D engineer to build a 3D story. That’s where a lot of our effort goes: finding those repeatable things and creating the tools that allow editors to do that work with less or no help from us.”
Some of Lowenstein’s favorite stories were during the early days of augmented reality. “We built a lot of stories that we published as 2D stories on the web, and then translated specific slices of them into AR, that people could use on their phones. Some of those were very well received and we learned a ton from that experience.”
Balancing innovation and integrity
The New York Times R&D Lab is not interested in employing the latest technology just for the sake of doing it. Technology is a tool in the service of their mission, not an end in itself. “One of the great things about working with our amazing journalists and editors is that their gimmick meter is really strong,” Lowenstein said.
Timeline of innovation at The New York Times’ R&D Lab
2006 – Launch of R&D Lab
Foundation: The New York Times R&D Lab was established to innovate and experiment with new technologies and storytelling methods.
2009 – Multimedia Applications
Commuter App: An innovative app that combines traffic cameras, Google Maps, and location-specific Times content, enhancing news delivery through geocoded articles and blog posts.
2011 – Interactive Technology
Magic Mirror: A data-bearing mirror using motion sensing and voice recognition to deliver on-demand information via the Times’ APIs.
2014 – Semantic Listening
New Tools: Developed systems for extracting semantic information and crowdsourcing data on cultural artifacts.
2015 – Wearable Technology
Focused on wearables, examining their potential uses in the media landscape.
2016 – Virtual Reality (VR)
Created over 30 immersive films.
2017 – Emerging Technologies
Shifted focus to support newsroom storytelling by integrating technologies such as mixed reality and connected home devices, while also improving public figure identification in photos through automation.
2019 – Photogrammetry, Spatial
Computer Vision: Revealing hidden narratives within visual content.
Photogrammetry: Creating immersive 3D environments from 2D photos.
Spatial Computing: Exploring new storytelling formats in augmented reality.
Media Transmission & NLP: Enhancing photo and video transmission and extracting insights from the NYT’s extensive archive.
Developed the Times’ first AR game and animated sequences for augmented reality, while continuing to explore spatial journalism and improving media transmission with 5G technology.
2022 – Spatial Journalism
Emphasized integrating locative data and spatial understanding into journalism to better reflect and connect with communities, thereby enhancing storytelling.
Technology evolves rapidly, and having a solid understanding of emerging tech applications is incredibly valuable. The R&D team began exploring large language models back in 2019. Now that these models are widely adopted, they have a significant advantage in knowing how to apply them responsibly.
From the NYT R&D Labs’ work on media transmission and provenance.
Lowenstein emphasized the importance of transparency in their work. “We’re always going to tell our readers when and how we’re using these emerging technologies,” he said. “I view it as a duty to our readers to explain how we’re using these technologies. And in that process of explanation, that is the process of balancing storytelling and integrity in action.”
Those principles show up in reader-facing ways. This is evident on their website, where stories include methodologies, labels, and sometimes tutorials or explanatory text. Those principles also show up in industry-facing ways. The R&D Lab shares their work as much as they can on their website, and through open source libraries for others in media.
“I think that’s one of the great benefits of having this kind of open source mentality is that we can see, we put our stuff out there and we can see how the community is using it,” Lowenstein said.
A lot of people are using the photogrammetry, the spatial journalism and 3D storytelling, using the libraries and contributing to them, he explained. “It’s super gratifying to see this little community built up around some of the photogrammetry, the spatial journalism. It’s awesome to see how people have taken that work and evolved it and made it their own.”
From the NYT’s R&D Lab’s experiments in spatial journalism.
Technology should be in service of the story
As technology and journalism continue to evolve, other organizations can glean valuable insights from The New York Times R&D Lab’s approach to experimenting with emerging technologies. For one, Lowenstein emphasizes that technology should be in service of the story. “That’s first and foremost. We don’t do it for the sake of doing it. The story should come first and you should really look through if the ambition of the story warrants it.”
Embracing experimentation is equally vital, and even though trial may lead to error, each misstep could lead to unexpected insights. “We often try things that don’t work the first time or the fifth time, and then you find the perfect fit,” Lowenstein said.
Lowenstein suggested keeping a record of what you’ve tried and what you’ve learned along the way. He says that oftentimes, things will pop up you didn’t know would be useful in the future. Keeping records allows you to adapt to new possibilities.
Finally, the director suggested that it is important for media companies to have principles about how they use technology responsibly and in service of their work. It helps guide decision making.
By establishing clear principles for the responsible application of emerging tech, organizations can carve out a focused space to innovate while delivering quality journalism that resonates with audiences. Ultimately, it’s this blend of technology, experimentation, and integrity that will empower the industry to navigate into the future.
“In some ways, having those clear principles about when and how you use technology is a great creative constraint. It allows you to define the parameters of how you want to use the technology in service of quality journalism. And, working within those boundaries from the beginning makes it achievable and makes the space of things that you could do smaller so that you can actually focus on the right stuff,” Lowenstein said.
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.
Gone are the days when a sports fan could locate their favorite team’s game quickly on a predictable outlet. Instead, broadcast contracts are divided among many media outlets, with sporting events appearing on dozens of broadcast, cable and regional sports networks, as well as streaming services. In fact, it’s gotten so tough that ESPN thinks that the biggest win for sports fans may just be having an easy way to figure out where an event is being offered in time to catch the opening kick-off, tip-off or puck drop.
Disney’s ESPN set out to solve the sports discovery problem with its new “Where to Watch” feature. Offered on its main app and website, the feature helps viewers instantly locate any sports event appearing on ESPN platforms and elsewhere, including cable and broadcast networks or streaming services. ESPN is aiming for this feature be comprehensive across the market, not just for ESPN and ABC properties, because the goal is to solve fan fragmentation and frustration.
Where to Watch, which debuted in August, showcases tens of thousands of events across dozens of leagues. Included are events from the NFL, NCAA football, NCAA men’s and women’s basketball, MLB, NHL, NBA, WNBA, NASCAR, UFC, F1, PGA Tour, MLS, tennis majors, Premier League, Champions League, and other live sports events that air on Disney’s ESPN platforms—with plans to grow.
We recently spoke with Casey Grabbe, senior director of ESPN Strategy, and Chris Jason, executive director of ESPN product management, on the development and objectives of this ambitious feature.
The feature aims to solve fragmentation
“Where to Watch is an easy-to-use guide for sports fans to locate any sports event on ESPN platforms and beyond. That includes broadcast, cable and regional sports networks and streaming services,” Jason explained. “From Where to Watch, fans can view all the sports events for an entire day, along with the network or service on which to find them, with quick one-click access to ESPN network streams for pay TV authenticated users and ESPN+ subscribers.”
Beyond just ESPN, fans are also linked directly to select partner networks, which currently include regional sports networks such as NESN and Monumental Sports, Jason said. Fans can search for events, filter, and customize the guide to prioritize their favorite teams and leagues.
“This makes for a fast and easy to discover what they care about most, all tied to their ESPN profile and personalization preferences,” Jason explained.
The motivation behind the Where to Watch feature was simple: reduce complexity.
Disney’s internal research found that sports fans are confused about where to find games, according to Grabbe. As sports viewing has become fragmented across many TV networks and streaming platforms, it has also become difficult and confusing for people to know where they can watch their favorite teams, players, and sports.
“We are hoping to solve that consumer pain point by creating a centralized home for sports viewing information with an intuitive interface that is easily accessible from within their daily routine of visiting ESPN.com and the ESPN App,” Grabbe explained.
How Where to Watch works
Where to Watch is designed to be a simple, scrollable, time-based guide of sports events, Jason said. It is powered by a proprietary event database, managed by the ESPN Stats and Analysis team.
The event database aggregates ESPN and partner data feeds along with originally sourced information and programming details from more than 250 media sources, including television networks and streaming platforms, Jason explained.
“We currently support coverage of tens of thousands of events across dozens of sports and leagues, and other live sporting events airing on ESPN platforms,” Jason said.
In order to watch an event, fans need only press boldly colored “watch” buttons on live game selections, which takes the viewer directly to the broadcast. That is, provided that they are a subscriber to ESPN+ or a pay-tv service. Fans can also customize the feature to highlight a specific sport or league.
Event-driven database drives discovery
Where to Watch is currently available for free to all ESPN App and ESPN.com users, which do not require a paid subscription. The feature employs an event database that was created by and is managed by the ESPN Stats and Information Group. The Stats group aggregates and analyzes data from ESPN and partner feeds. It combines that data with that of more than 250 other media sources. This includes television networks and streaming services. ESPN has a partnership arrangement in which it links users on the ESPN App directly to partner feeds to view content, in an effort to cut down on the friction of finding and assessing sports content.
Sports fans using the Where to Watch service see two primary features: A Favorites element and the Guide. If the fanhas a favorite team, sport or league they wish to watch, they can set that information into the feature and it will display upcoming games or events at the top of their screen. The viewer need only click on the event they want to be directed to. The viewer can personalize or change favorite settings at any time. Otherwise, the Guide feature will display all of the options available to watch at a given time on a given day.
Early feedback says Where to Watch is a winner
Jason notes that the Where to Watch feature was designed with the sports fan desires in mind, and that seems to have paid off so far.
“Fan feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, primarily in that this is focused on solving a real pain point for sports fans,” Grabbe said. “We see this sentiment reflected on social media, through various media outlets following launch, and ongoing interactions with sports fans. Several million fans have already used the feature, which is a really promising sign that this can become an indispensable utility going forward.”
Initial partnerships have been formed with only a few regional sports networks – NESN and Monumental Sports – to link fans directly with their programming, with plans to increase the number of these partnerships.
“We want ESPN to be a part of every sports fan’s daily routine,” Grabbe stressed. “Providing fans with this added functionality is helping to further strengthen ESPN’s position as the preeminent digital sports platform. We are always thinking about how we can put the sports fan’s needs first.” ESPN also plans to launch a new stand-alone direct-to-consumer product in 2025, and hopes to include its Where to Watch feature.
“Our near-term focus is to expand coverage across more sports events and leagues,” Jason said. “We are also working on adding additional utility within the experience, for example giving fans the ability to set reminder alerts for games they are interested in. In parallel we continue to monitor fan feedback to evaluate additional ways to improve the experience.”
Social media gets a lot of bad press these days, and for good reason. It’s associated with any number of negative effects – from misinformation to increased anxiety, polarization and more. However, there’s no denying its impact as a cultural force. And, to be fair, there are notable bright spots including the ability of social platforms to increase awareness around mental health and environmental issues and enjoy moments of cultural significance, hobbies and entertainment.
With the launch of PBS Film Club, this trusted public broadcasting service known for its high-quality educational, cultural, and informative programming is doubling-down on the potential of social media to build constructive communities around shared interests. As PBS VP of Marketing Amy Wigler points out, “edutainment is one of the most popular types of content on social media, and we do edutainment better than anyone.”
A new social video series – and partner
Produced by the PBS Social Media team, the PBS Film Club – a new social video series – publishes every week on PBS’s TikTok and Instagram channels. Notably, however, PBS has also partnered with Fable, a community-powered platform for discovering, tracking, and discussing books and TV shows. Given PBS’ strong presence across established social channels (200K on TikTok and over 1 million Instagram followers), the decision to partner with Fable was as much around ethos as the ability to reach a new audience.
Founded in 2019 by Padmasree Warrior, Fable’s mission is to foster a love of stories of all kinds and build meaningful communities through curated experiences. Fable’s philosophy centers on promoting literacy, encouraging thoughtful conversations, and creating a supportive environment for readers of all backgrounds. Fable bills itself as a community for bookworms and binge-watchers—both of which titles Wigler and Pina personally and professionally embrace. “Social media should be about community and connection,” says Wigler. “And that’s what Fable is to me.”
Community-centric audience approach
In addition to the launch of its Fable club, the initial PBS Film Club video series roll-out includes 10 episodes hosted by Marissa Pina and Lucky Nguyen. Pina, who is PBS’ Senior Manager, Social Engagement and Multiplatform Marketing says the social team came up with the idea when they were thinking about how to serialize content across TikTok in a way that made sense to showcase PBS’ vast library.
Welcome to our very first episode of #PBSFilmClub ✨ This week we’re discussing The Perfect Crime from American Experience and what we’ve learned from it. We want to hear from you, comment below or join us on Fable to share your thoughts. #pbs#documentary#truecrime#bobbyfranks
“We were looking for ways to kind of extend our engagement and our community reach especially for younger and more diverse audiences, particularly Gen Z… In the past, I would have done something like this maybe by creating a Facebook group. But Fable already had the audience.” That audience, says Pina, is over a million strong, comprised mostly of those ages 18-35.
To be sure, reaching a young audience is critical to the longevity of any media brand. However, as Wigler points out, “I can no longer run a promo and expect that people will talk about it. I was intrigued about the idea of using content marketing to build audience in a new way.”
“I’ll speak for myself in particular, since I’m in that demo,” says Pina. “I’m probably not going to watch a promo. But when my friend calls me on the phone and tells me, ‘Hey, I’ve been watching this crazy documentary,’ or ‘I’ve been watching this amazing show,’ nine times out of 10, going to watch it.” With PBS Film club, Pina believes they’ve landed on an approach that will “tie in our library with the cultural zeitgeist and things that are going on in the world” in an authentic way.
Authentic audience connections
Throughout the series, Pina and Nguyen will highlight the cultural relevance of past and present PBS programming through short clips. The idea is to bridge today’s trends with some of the historical and nostalgic content from PBS programs. And, in a market crowded with content and faced by younger demographics that lean into individual creators over institutions, landing on a strategy that doesn’t just reach the audience, but truly engages them is the recipe every media company is trying to perfect.
For its strategy to work, “people are essential,” says Pina. “We talk a lot about authenticity, connection and communication. To do that you need to be able to connect with a person.”
Wigler is quick to point to the strength of PBS social team and the hosts of Film Club as winning components of this initiative. But both see the value in allowing audiences to “see the people behind the brand, that maybe looks like them,” as Pina put it. And they plan to include more of the people behind the scenes at PBS in Film Club.
So, while social media has become a complex ecosystem that brands must carefully navigate, Wigler is among those who believes it is critical to have a presence in order to engage with younger audiences, who rely on social for content discovery. However, in keeping with the company’s goal to empower individuals to achieve their potential and strengthen the social, democratic, and cultural health of the U.S., PBS approaches this social-first initiative, and particularly its new Fable fan community, “as a way to explore creative partnerships in the social space that allow our content to shine and community to form,” says Wigler. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if PBS were known as the friendliest place on the Internet and social media? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people like our mission is to educate, inspire, and entertain,” Wigler suggests. “And wouldn’t it be amazing if PBS on social media was synonymous for the ability to do all of that?”
One of my new favorite YouTube channels is First We Feast, specifically the show Hot Ones, where celebrities answer great interview questions as they eat progressively hotter wings. While it’s always entertaining, a recent interview with Academy Award winner Matt Damon really stuck with me because of the way it parallels what is happening with news media today.
He was asked about the macroeconomics of Hollywood, particularly how streaming has affected the subjective quality of content compared to decades ago. Damon explained how DVDs once generated huge revenue, allowing studios to take more creative risks because they could rely on profits from DVD sales after a film’s theatrical release. He shared an example from a studio executive who explained that making a movie would, in theory, cost $25 million, with another $25 million for print and advertising. Gross box office receipts are then split with theater owners, who typically keep about half. This structure means the film would need to earn around $100 million just to break even or beginning to even discuss profit.
Safe bets versus experimentation and adaptability
This hit me close to home, even though I’m in a different industry. It made me think about how the news media industry has also undergone drastic changes due to technology, shifts in audience consumption habits, and declines in traditional revenue streams like print subscriptions and classified ads. Both industries now take fewer risks in unpredictable environments, arguably leading to a drop in content quality and diversity. While exceptional work is still produced, the shift toward safer, commercially viable content is evident. Yet the evolving landscape hints at a future that demands a more integrated and adaptive approach.
Hollywood content creation, as Damon suggests, centers on box office hits that drive significant revenue in their theatrical run. In news media, revenue reliance is on digital ads, subscriptions, and paywalls.
Damon’s discussion of the economics of film made me wonder: What’s the new “DVD-sales” for the news media industry? What will create sustainable revenue beyond conventional methods? As technology advances, I believe the solution is in building new models that effectively leverage current tech and audience trends to offer long-term financial stability.
While traditional news content remains important, it’s clear that audience expectations constantly evolve. Technology unlocks new possibilities which organizations must experiment with to master. At the same time, communities and influencers are reshaping how audiences connect with news. To stay relevant, news media has to adapt to these changing consumption patterns and provide deeper engagement. It’s time for journalism to meet these evolving demands, focusing on the key areas that will define the future of news and become the industry’s new “DVD-sales.”
Diverse and individualized identity in media
As audience preferences evolve, identity and self-representation are becoming central to media consumption. People no longer want just content—they want content that reflects their values and creates a sense of belonging. Subscriptions, affiliations, and donations have become extensions of personal identity, allowing individuals to support causes, movements, or news platforms that align with who they are or aspire to be. This shift is empowering. It fosters deeper connections between the audience and the media. However, it requires representation and relatability.
Audiences increasingly seek a voice in the content they engage with. Community-led journalism and immersive experiences meet this demand by offering behind-the-scenes access, deeper insights into investigative reporting, and platforms for expressing concerns and successes within communities. These media-driven town halls—both in-person and virtual—create spaces where passion and substance shape the conversation. Historically, community-led journalism has also empowered underserved groups. It gives them ownership of their stories, fosters empathy, and reinforces a sense of identity as individuals see themselves reflected in the content.
Mission-driven partnerships
As audiences seek media that reflects their authentic selves, corporations and philanthropic organizations are aligning with news outlets that share their values to forge impact-driven partnerships that open new revenue opportunities for news media. These partnerships—particularly with philanthropic foundations, renewable energy companies, and organizations focused on health and sustainability—fund journalism with shared societal goals. Rooted in corporate social responsibility, they empower journalism to deliver objective reporting while driving meaningful social change.
By supporting investigative journalism, documentaries, and projects that resonate with consumers’ values, these partnerships enhance engagement and create a sustainable, mission-driven funding model. And companies that invest in media that align with their core values forge deeper connections with consumers who see these efforts as an extension of their own identities. This trend could shift news revenue models from short-term advertising to long-term, scalable partnerships, offering a significant and exciting opportunity for the future of news media.
Transformative role of technology
While sticking with the tried-and-true tactics may seem like the safe bet, the industry will need to reinvigorate its spirit of innovation and risk to best connect with ever-evolving audience expectations. Technology has empowered today’s audiences to be more authentic by providing quicker access to information and more immediate ways to explore their interests. Information access helps people understand themselves and the world around them with greater speed and depth.
Newsrooms can harness this shift by embracing immersive reporting through interactive experiences like AR and VR, which allows individuals to step into different perspectives, fostering empathy and engagement. These immersive technologies, from placing reporters on the front lines to using interactive learning platforms, enable audiences to connect more deeply with content, helping them refine their views and consider how they want to contribute or enact change.
The real breakthrough, however, is in AI’s role in driving personalized engagement. AI allows news organizations to deliver hyper-personalized content based on individual habits and preferences, a process once manual and time-consuming. With AI-enhanced data insights, organizations can understand their audiences at a granular level, offering timely, relevant, and highly customized content. This deeper connection with consumers anticipates their needs and creates impactful experiences, potentially transforming how news is consumed and delivered.
The road ahead for media revenue
So where is this all leading, and how does this become the new “DVD-sales” for news media? The answer lies in a transformative, identity-driven, community and tech-powered ecosystem where audiences help shape the content. This approach will foster loyalty and create scalable, sustainable revenue beyond traditional ads and subscriptions. By leveraging the combined power of community and technology, news organizations can form partnerships with purpose-aligned entities, redefining how journalism is funded and experienced.
I envision a digital platform where users actively participate, voting on story ideas or contributing content in an environment that tackles local and global issues. With AI and data-driven personalization, users can receive tailored content and news organizations can create high-demand immersive experiences like virtual town halls.
If you’re wondering how these ideas translate into reality, take a look at City Bureau in Chicago, which is already putting some of them to work. This journalism lab is reimagining local media by equipping communities to address information inequity. Their Documenters program trains and pays residents to cover local government meetings, boosting transparency and citizen involvement.
This concept upholds journalistic integrity, ensures accuracy and drives meaningful community involvement. It integrates the community into the editorial process without compromising professional standards. The approach builds authentic connections and strengthens trust, which is crucial for attracting corporate sponsorships and philanthropic partnerships. No, it does not come in a handy book-sized package like the DVD. However, this is a model that puts the audience at the center to build a sustainable model through experimentation in how the news is made, delivered, and funded.
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.
