Tuesday 8th November: Are you too old to build relevant media products?

November 08, 2022

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OK I don't mean to unleash this question on you first thing in the morning! The answer, of course, is no - it's about the individual's willingness to adapt rather than the number of candles on their birthday cake. But it did remind me of some conversations I had with publishing execs when I first entered the industry back in the early 2010s.

I was working for a tiny (like...3 people) digital magazine company so I'd get sent to a lot of publisher conferences to man the vendor stand. So many of the conversations I had with people shocked me - there was such ignorance of how people my age were engaging with content and using social media. I remember the gasp going round a room at one event I was a 'millennial' panellist at where I said I knew no one my age who bought print magazines or newspapers any more.

This piece doesn't suggest you replace your staff with under-24s. But it does recommend getting the people you're building for in the room. "You need both," author Jodie Hopperton concluded. "We need the people who understand the nuances of business, new technologies, and launching new products — those likely older with some experience under their belt — as well as the people who fully understand how to maximise the use of a platform of technology."

Hypothetically, Wikipedia looks quite vulnerable to manipulation. However, it has largely been able to fend off attempts thanks to an army of volunteer editors and administrators, as well as machine learning tools. The Fix spoke with Carl Miller about key practical findings and broader theoretical risks Wikipedia might face from autocratic regimes.

WNIP Editor Jez Walters is back from a week in Lisbon at Web Summit and has done a round-up of the top themes publishers have been discussing. Notably top of that list is micropayments, which a number of publishers are either launching next year or are looking very closely at. The prospect of extra revenue from those less likely to subscribe is tempting, but there are concerns about canibalisation.

The UK’s National Security Bill threatens to “criminalise” public interest journalism and whistleblowing, news publishers and press freedom campaign groups have warned. There is concern about a clause in the bill that may threaten journalists from foreign state-funded broadcasters, including from “friendly states”, with prison time for reporting on leaked information.

New podcast:

Our seventh episode looks at trust in the media, the growth of news fatigue and avoidance, and the opportunities and dangers in the future, from AI to platforms. Will transparency in reporting help bring round reluctant or sceptical readers, or do we need to do more? Joining us this week to discuss the year in trust is Martha Williams, CEO of World Newsmedia Network.

This year has seen trust in the news fall to an historic low. Despite this bleak picture, there are concrete steps news publishers can take to build and maintain trust in their reporting. One factor that is growing in significance is using data, infographics, maps and charts to add context and help audiences to understand what is going on.

There has never been so much at stake in terms of misinformation and polarisation. In this new Conversations episode, Chris is joined by Reuters News Agency’s Politics Editor Scott Malone, Digital Verification Editor Stephanie Burnett and Director of Emerging Products and Special Events Rob Schack to discuss how data can help build trust in the news. Listen now.