Insights from important journalism figures on the state of news in 2025, as shared by the Nieman Journalism Lab.
This article was originally published by Nieman Journalism Lab and is hereby reproduced by iMEdD with permission. Any reprint permissions are subject to the original publisher. Read the original article here.
For an industry rooted in communication, journalists working in newsrooms must improve how they communicate with each other. Is news in its current state reaching the right audiences? Some reports would lead us to say no.
That’s why, in 2025, news organizations need to put the “why” back in journalism decision-making. We must have an honest, critical look at our work. We need to go back to basics and ask questions like:
- Who is this story for? Where are they? What platforms are they using?
- Which format will help us reach that audience?
- When is the right time to publish and share this content? When would the intended audience be most interested in reading/watching/listening to it?
It’s strategic content planning. At its best, it’s done in a forum that allows stakeholders — from ideation to distribution — to weigh in. This does not mean adding another meeting to everyone’s calendars. Maybe it’s an email or a Slack channel for coordination. The exact approach will differ from newsroom to newsroom. The key is inviting everyone who touches a story from beginning to end to be a part of the conversation.
Yes, that means there could be more than one or two people making decisions on a story. Add breaking news to the mix, and there’s a reasonable concern of slowing down your news operation. On the other hand, operating in silos will also slow down newsrooms’ abilities to innovate and ultimately set up a news product that serves not only the audience of today but the audience of tomorrow. So we might as well take a beat and try to get it right.
The sooner this strategic planning becomes a part of a newsroom’s culture, the sooner we get smarter about making an efficient process to meet as many needs as possible. Get comfortable with bringing more voices into your trusted circle. Their perspectives are valuable and will lead you to smarter decisions with greater impact. Should this story be a video or a written article? Does this illustration make sense?
Get comfortable with making the case to your colleagues. Defend your thinking. Why do we do what we do? Because we’ve always done it this way is not a good answer. Get comfortable with helping funnel information to the people who need it, when they need it and where they need it. It will become a part of your DNA. We also get comfortable with the idea that we might not get it right on the first try either. That’s OK. Document it. What worked? What didn’t? Figure out what needs to change and try that the next time.
Let’s not forget our product and business partners, either. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing, right? An audience that sees value and relevance in the work we do.
We can’t afford to have good journalism go unnoticed. We can’t do this alone, nor should we. We need each other — and our audiences, too.
Kendall Trammell is a senior producer for CNN’s digital platforms.
Find a selection of Nieman Journalism Lab’s predictions for journalism in 2025 here.
