PreMedia

Rich possibilities and tough challenges are on the menu for the media in 2025

17.03.2025

Newsroom of the future - Dr. Mario Garcia

The media landscape in 2025 offers a banquet of possibilities, sprinkled with tough challenges such as the continued presence of legacy via print products, and a rapidly transforming technological ecosystem led by artificial intelligence and the move to mobile-first strategies.

If my current consulting projects around the globe offer me a map to 2025, I see media people excited about the prospects of Artificial Intelligence, while catching up to make their newsrooms more mobile driven, and still find a place for print without letting take all the time and oxygen out of the room with its demanding production requirements. That is the way it will be for 2025 and at least the next three years. Those media executives who are not leading transformation in the areas mentioned here need to get on the train immediately if they wish to attract new subscribers while retaining the existing ones. The race is on and how.

Two Revolutions: Mobile Journalism and AI

My most recent books, The Story (2019) and AI: The Next Revolution for Content Creation (2024), reflect the sweeping changes reshaping newsrooms globally. Two simultaneous revolutions are underway: the rise of mobile journalism and the integration of Artificial Intelligence into journalists’ daily workflows. Visual elements have been central to both books. In fact, as I write, I draw inspiration from visual sources to guide my storytelling.

In this new era, the synergy of design, visuals, and technology is not just a tool but a necessity, transforming how stories are told and consumed. The challenge—and opportunity—lies in embracing this transformation with curiosity and creativity.

Key Trends in News Consumption

Not that anyone should be surprised. A quick Look at the data available for media consumption the past two years shows a pattern:

*News consumption habits have changed dramatically in the 21st century around the globe. According to Pew Research, 58% of Americans say they prefer a digital device, far higher than the share who prefer TV (32%). Relatively few Americans prefer radio (6%) or print (4%). “There are several different pathways Americans use to get news on their digital devices. News websites or apps and search engines are the most common: About two-thirds of U.S. adults at least sometimes get news in each of these ways. A little more than half (54%) at least sometimes get news from social media, and 27% say the same about podcasts,” according to the September 2024 Pew Research Center report.

*In Europe, news consumption centers around social media for many. According to Statista.com, social media news engagement behavior varies across countries with Greek and Bulgarian adults as the most likely consumers to head to social networks for news, whereas British, German, and French audiences were the least inclined to do so.

*While this data available focuses on American readers, my experience globally tells me that it is quite similar in Europe, Asia and Latin America: A large majority of U.S. adults (86%) say they at least sometimes get news from a smartphone, computer or tablet, including 57% who say they do so often. These figures are almost identical to the share who got news from digital devices in 2023.

*Digital devices are by far the most common way Americans get news, although a majority (63%) get news from television at least sometimes. The portion of Americans who often get news from TV has stayed fairly steady over the last few years, now standing at 33%.

*Americans turn to radio and print publications for news far less frequently. In 2024, just 26% of U.S. adults say they often or sometimes get news in print, the lowest number our surveys have recorded.

While we are dealing with data, it is worth mentioning that the Norwegians are the most likely to pay for online news. Data from Statista.com shows that under 10 percent of UK adults paid for any kind of online news content in the last year as of 2023, showing little change since 2013 despite small yearly fluctuations. In Japan, despite a survey revealing that around two thirds of respondents consider newspapers to be trustworthy, this does not increase the likelihood to pay for content either in print form or online. Only a fraction of Japanese news consumers pay to access a newspaper’s website.

That is the media landscape

The data above shows why we all need to concentrate greater efforts on content creation for digital consumption. In addition, there must be a systematic approach to how content is promoted on social media outlets.

For example,TikTok has become an increasingly significant platform for news consumption, particularly among younger demographics. Adults under 30: 39% regularly get their news from TikTok. (Pew Research). What type of presence does your media organization have in Tik Tok?

For years, I have been helping media organizations with transformation to more digital newsrooms. Today it is important to be mobile first, with emphasis on mobile storytelling. What does that involve? In my experience, usually the first step is a necessary change in the area of work flow. In today’s environment we don’t follow the editions, we follow the stories. There need to be content managers present at every newsroom meeting, so that they will determine which stories need to be accompanied by video and audio. More stories need to be crafted for consumption on mobile devices, where the readers are.

This type of mobile first journalism is more visual, too.

Journalistic Design in the Mobile-First Era

Journalistic design has never been as crucial as it is today in the “mobile-first” era—creating content specifically for consumption on mobile devices, the smallest canvas: a phone screen. This represents one of the most radical transformations journalism has ever faced.

For journalists, this shift toward more agile, visual storytelling tailored for mobile devices is challenging. Journalists have historically enjoyed writing about change but are often slow to adopt it. Computers appeared in universities and hospitals long before newsrooms embraced them, often dragged into the digital transformation. This resistance to change is not unique to journalism—whether in banking, healthcare, or other professions, change tends to provoke fear. Reinventing oneself and learning new skills is daunting but essential. It’s a theme I discuss in my book The Story (2019), and it’s a principle I continue to embrace as I approach 78 years of age.

Visual Storytelling for Mobile

Today, stories are told with highly visual elements. Readers engage more deeply when text is accompanied by video, animated infographics, and audio. Mobile-first storytelling appeals to all the senses. Designing for print—newspapers or magazines—engages the brain and the eye. Designing for mobile devices, however, involves the brain, the eye, and the finger. Readers want to interact with the story, tapping and swiping to reveal visually impactful content.

Visual journalists are vital in modern newsrooms, acting as partners to reporters. Together, they create storyboards, much like film directors, to integrate narrative and imagery seamlessly. Visual design elements are no longer mere complements—they are protagonists in mobile storytelling.

Because so many of our readers are coming to social media, and to their mobile devices, several times a day, this leads to the next topic of importance: Newsletters and Push Notifications.

The Importance of Newsletters and Push Notifications in Modern Newsrooms

Newsletters and push notifications are essential tools for modern digital newsrooms. They help attract audiences, maintain relevance, and adapt to shifting information consumption habits. Here‘s a summary of my key points on their significance:

1. Newsletters: Building a Direct Connection

• Personalized Engagement: Newsletters provide a one-on-one connection with readers, delivering tailored content directly to their inboxes. This builds loyalty and fosters habitual interaction.

• Curated Experiences: A well-crafted newsletter acts as a curated experience, highlighting top stories, trending topics, or niche interests. It caters to specific audience segments.

• Brand Identity: Newsletters reinforce a newsroom’s voice and values, serving as an extension of its editorial mission. They build trust and enhance brand recognition.

• Subscriber Growth: For publications with paywalls, newsletters serve as a gateway to convert casual readers into subscribers by consistently showcasing the value of premium content.

2. Push Notifications: Real-Time Relevance

• Immediate Access: Push notifications allow newsrooms to deliver breaking news, live updates, or urgent content directly to audiences, ensuring they remain the go-to source for timely information.

• Strategic Alerts: I advocate for the judicious use of notifications—delivering value without becoming intrusive. Overuse or irrelevance can drive users away.

• Retention and Engagement: Push notifications help draw readers back to platforms, particularly in a fragmented digital landscape where capturing attention is increasingly competitive.

3. Mobile-First Thinking

Both newsletters and push notifications align seamlessly with a mobile-first strategy. These tools leverage how people consume news today—on their phones, on the go, and in short bursts of time.

Newsletters and push notifications are no longer optional; they are critical elements of a newsroom‘s digital ecosystem. When used strategically, they enhance engagement, loyalty, and a newsroom‘s ability to serve its audiences in today’s fast-paced, mobile-dominated environment.

Each semester at Columbia University, I dedicate a session of my class to newsletters and push notifications, often inviting experts from The New York Times to provide insights. The session concludes with a practical exercise where students design a newsletter for a local newspaper that hasn’t yet embraced this tool. This exercise consistently sparks rich discussions, deepens understanding, and highlights the importance of attracting and retaining subscribers through effective newsletters.

The Role of AI in Newsrooms

Finally, artificial intelligence is going to play a major role in news operations. Almost 50% of the workshops I conduct today inside newsrooms is about AI and, specifically, prompt engineering and how to train journalists for more effective communication with the robots.

I am happy to read a Press Gazette (UK) report that outlines how quickly publishers are embracing AI. Some highlights of that report:

*Two years after the introduction of ChatGPT, publishers have moved from cautious experimentation to actively integrating AI into their operations. Many have established formal policies, training programs, and dedicated teams to explore AI applications, focusing on private large language models (LLMs) tailored to their unique data to maintain a competitive edge.

Press Gazette

*AI implementation has led to the creation of new roles within news organizations, emphasizing collaboration between technology and human expertise. Publishers are utilizing AI for tasks like data analysis and preliminary reporting, allowing journalists to focus on in-depth storytelling. Training staff to effectively use AI tools is crucial to maximize benefits and ensure responsible usage.

Press Gazette

*Serious publishers are refraining from using AI to create content without human oversight due to concerns about accuracy and credibility. The consensus is that while AI can assist in content creation, human editorial control is essential to maintain journalistic standards and trust.

And, so, as I said at the beginning this is quite a banquet of options and challenges, all almost equally important. Start by thinking mobile first, then create the work flow in your newsroom that allows for this transformation to move forward.

-by Dr Mario Garcia-

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