By Kevin Anderson
Central to Nizet‘s work is this question: “How do we stay relevant in the eyes of a generation overwhelmed by choice?”
She encouraged publishers to start “listening to why (Gen Z audiences) feel left out, overwhelmed and dumb about the news and ask ourselves with honesty and humility about how we can show up differently.”
Among the feedback Nizet received when talking with young people about news were comments like these:
• “News just made me feel worse.”
• They don’t know where to start.
• “I don’t see myself in your stories.”
Goal: ‘Building something meaningful’
These conversations have changed the way she perceives the value and worth of journalism. “We can have the best journalists in the world, but if no one way is paying attention to it, our impact is limited,” she said.
The challenges facing journalism are well known: The print audience is aging; young audiences spend time on social media not traditional publishers; and digital revenue flows mostly to platforms not to publishers.
However, she doesn’t see her role about survival but “about building something meaningful,” and she also said it was not about “chasing the shiny.”
To build relationships with Gen Z, she said, “we need to offer meaning, relevance and the magic word for Gen Z – belonging.”
Four pillars of Mediahuis’ young audience strategy
1- They launched a new editorial proposition for Gen Z.
• It is built by Gen Z for Gen Z.
• They offer their perspective, allow them to share their perspective and let creators to share their perspective, too. She described it as “news as conversation.”
• The business model is social-first monetisation.
• “The brand doesn’t just stay there. It flows back into our existing brands.”
2- It is based on off-platform strategies
• It is video led.
• They have found that hyperlocal content is a trust builder with young audiences.
• It is not enough to be on platforms. “We need to be seen and trusted and part of that conversation.”
3- Future audiences is an internal learning platform
• They write an internal newsletter to share best practices, their wins and mistakes.
• “If we are not learning together, we will not move fast enough.”
4- They don’t have all of the answers, but they seek to answer the questions.
Be authentic, don’t condescend
“It’s about building journalism where trust is hard to win,” Nizet said.
Fundamentally, it is about being authentic, not condescending and about building relationships.
This is not a nice to have or a side project, she said, and she hopes that other publishers steal the idea of having her kind of role.
Nizet called on publishers to choose curiosity over fear, action over nostalgia and building over inaction.
About the author: Kevin Anderson is the App Strategy and Industry Insights Director for Pugpig.
