The creator economy inspires the media

[shishir.seoexpert1]

New platforms and features are emerging based on the idea of ​​remunerating online information . Substack , among others, has brought new life to the creator economy, by passing the milestone of one million subscribers on its platform focused on paid newsletters. Facebook and Twitter were quick to follow the trend with their own newsletter systems via Bulletin and Revue.

It wouldn't be surprising, then, if publishers wanted to snap up the star creators of these platforms who are really successful. The Atlantic, for example, recruited Charlie Warzel, editor of Galaxy Brain on Substack, to write columns on their site.

What future for 100% digital media?

While digital publishers like Vox or Vice have, in previous years, built gambling data vietnam a digital culture based on new editorial lines and new formats, they are now experiencing the backlash of their dependencies on platforms , partly due to Facebook's algorithm changes. Digital players are then looking to consolidate. Buzzfeed , for example, went public in 2021, while Vox bought New York Magazine and its websites.

Traditional media are also turning to mergers and acquisitions of digital brands that can add value to their editorial line as well as to acquire new audiences. This is the case, for example, of the New York Times with the acquisition of The Athletic.

Finally, new models are developing that give readers more of a voice , such as The Manchester Mill , launched during the pandemic, which, through a “slow journalism ” model, connects primarily with its audiences through its newsletter, and involves them in the editorial process by asking for their opinions on article ideas via a Facebook group.

2022, the year driven by innovation and audience strategies

In order to retain and acquire new audiences, innovation and the creation of new products are at the heart of publishers' strategies. The greatest efforts will be devoted this year to podcasts and other digital audio products (80%) , followed by the creation and redesign of information newsletters (70%) and the development of digital video formats (63%) . Other innovations such as voice assistants and the metaverse are also in the sights of certain players but have clearly not reached maturity.



Audio maintains its growth

The growth of digital audio is no longer in doubt. Despite the fall of Clubhouse , most platforms have reproduced their own audio discussion tools. These tools then constitute a new layer of the creator economy, opening the door to new opportunities for information.

More and more publishers are looking to become audio destinations in their own right. The New York Times, for example, plans to release a listening product in 2022 that includes narrations of articles, public radio archives , and other programs. The audio app could then become part of the Times ’ current premium offering .

Third-party platforms Apple Podcast and Spotify will develop paid access to certain offers, which could open a new market for independent publishers and creators. Other independent platforms such as Podimo are also following in the footsteps of paid access podcasts.

Video takes a new turn

Video is experiencing a new boom, fueled in part by the growth of short formats. Newsrooms are adapting their workforces, such as NBC , which created 200 new positions for its streaming service, and has also invested heavily in short video production for TikTok and Snapchat . Publishers are increasingly asking themselves how to win over young audiences, and social video seems to remain a relevant channel for this. The Reuters report shows that publishers say they are devoting more time to Instagram , TikTok and YouTube , popular platforms for video content.



The rise of news videos on TikTok , but also on Twitch , remains partly responsible for certain forms of disinformation and their circulation. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue recently tracked vaccine misinformation on the platform and found that just over 100 TikTok videos had been viewed more than 20 million times . The startup News Movement , founded by former members of Dow Jones and the BBC, aims to provide reliable and objective information to counter the platform's misinformation.

Innovation is not within everyone's reach

For publishers, however, the focus should be more on improving existing products (67%) than on creating new products (32%), partly because of the investments required, but also because most of them have already committed to a clear path. The priority should then be on improving applications, optimizing loading times or upgrading data infrastructures.

Even though innovation is considered essential, certain challenges are identified by publishers as obstacles to innovation. The lack of liquidity (51%) and skilled labor (51%) are the main components. Another major obstacle to innovation highlighted by the survey is the lack of alignment (41%) between different departments such as editorial, marketing, sales and technology, which makes it difficult to implement innovations.



The evolution of journalistic practice: towards new standards

It’s no longer a surprise to anyone that a lot has changed with the pandemic: newsrooms have emptied, news cycles have intensified, and attacks on journalists have increased. New solutions are now being put in place to respond.

More diversity in editorial offices

Audiences feel overwhelmed by the amount of news and many find some information too pessimistic. Many newsrooms have had to learn to reevaluate their editorial approach, including with more inclusive visions.

Lack of diversity in newsrooms has been identified as a key shortcoming for publishers. According to Reuters, in 12 strategic markets, less than a quarter (22%) of editors are women. There is still work to be done to achieve parity in newsrooms. Ethnic diversity also remains a key priority for media companies this year, through improving inclusivity in newsrooms.

Newsrooms are now easily challenging traditional ways of covering news. For example, national editors on Swedish television are now required to include one constructive item per day in their evening news, and local teams have targets for in-depth coverage of their territories. Research shows that these solutions-focused formats are more appealing to younger audiences, and that people feel better informed and empowered after watching or reading positive, constructive stories.

Do more to combat harassment of journalists

The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to two journalists, Philippine Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, has highlighted the harassment faced by journalists around the world, both due to political polarization and increased activism on social media.

In the face of this growing violence, publishers must therefore step up their support. The UK’s largest regional publisher, Reach , for example, will appoint its first head of online safety to tackle head-on the “endemic abuse and harassment of its journalists”. Publishers must also strengthen their policies on the digital front, such as social networks, by preventing journalists from being the target of hateful threads on Twitter .

Better treatment of the subject of climate change

Climate change is the most significant threat humanity has ever faced. However, media coverage of this topic has yet to be built, with one third of publishers believing that media coverage of climate is poor. Among the media surveyed, six obstacles were identified:

The slowness of the evolution of the situation
The public is put off by the depressing outlook
There is not enough money to hire specialist journalists
Original reporting is expensive
The subject is very complex from a scientific point of view.
Pressure from owners and advertisers


To face these obstacles, editorial offices must arm themselves, first of all by strengthening their scientific expertise. For Vincent Giret, director of information and sports at Radio France , there is a weakness in scientific culture in editorial offices , because publishers more easily hire journalists with traditional training. It is therefore necessary to strengthen relations with academic institutions to diversify recruitment.

Media coverage of climate change must also be constructive and accessible in order to avoid an overly alarmist editorial angle. The main issue is to know to what extent editorial offices should actively position themselves in the search for solutions for the climate or simply report the facts, because more and more young journalists believe that their organizations should adopt a more militant stance.

Government Regulation, Privacy and the Future of Platforms

In the face of online hate, disinformation and privacy violations, regulation of tech companies has been tightened in recent years. Among other things, Europe is tightening the screws with the Digital Market Act and Digital Service Act , which aim to reduce anti-competitive behavior by platforms. In the face of these major changes, are there growing concerns among some broadcasters? According to Reuters, digital publishers have become more optimistic about the potential impact of the legislation in recent years. Four in ten (41%) believe that policy changes could help journalism, compared to just 18% in 2020. Around a quarter (24%) fear that interventions will make the situation worse.

These regulations require adapting certain models and practices, among others for proprietary data. Indeed, the laws already put in place by the GDPR for three years are reinforced by browser policies, particularly Safari and Chrome , which will eventually no longer support third-party cookies. Publishers will increasingly have to seek to enrich their first-party databases through interactive features, events and contests.


Accelerated by the context of the pandemic, we are therefore observing an increasingly important digital anchoring for publishers. This practice involves both new uses and new forms of content. To meet the needs of readers to navigate in a changing world, and to meet their own needs in terms of economic sustainability, publishers must therefore bounce back via these new practices which should continue to accelerate for the year 2022. The challenges linked to the development of new technologies such as the metaverse, cryptocurrencies and NFTs are also likely to continue to fuel these dynamics and predict new trends for the years to come.

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