Yet another insightful Newsrewired event brought together some of the most forward-thinking minds in the media industry and served as a timely pulse check on the current state of journalism.
From audience-first business models focusing on user needs and community-driven subscriptions to a “less is more” approach in journalism the event left no stone unturned.
Naja Nielsen, Media Director at Swedish public broadcaster SVT, delivered a powerful keynote speech which served as a timely reminder of journalism’s evolving nature and the need to connect with audiences amid technological disruption. She drew a historical parallel to 1967, when David Attenborough introduced colour television, acknowledging its technical challenges while affirming the BBC’s commitment to not disappoint viewers. However today, Nielsen noted, the disruption is AI.
She emphasised that AI should be viewed as a tool, not a threat, and advocated for its integration into journalism without compromising editorial values. She also stressed the importance of staying true to journalistic principles, especially in the context of revenue generation, highlighting that journalism must remain relevant and valuable to its audience. As Nielsen put it: “Journalism has to matter to people so much that they use it and that they will fund it.”
Revenue generation also took centre stage during the panel discussion on the future of news, featuring Tracy Yaverbaun, General Manager at The Times & Sunday Times, Simon Robinson, Executive Editor at Reuters, and Jonathan Levy, Managing Director and Executive Editor at Sky News UK. While exploring how to support journalism financially—whether through subscriptions, donations, or other models—the panellists agreed that the key lies in delivering value by being useful and trustworthy. However, they emphasised different approaches and offered multiple perspectives on how to achieve this.
Yaverbaun focused on building direct, trust-based relationships with readers through high-quality and reliable journalism. While recognising the importance of editorial integrity, Levy highlighted the value of new content formats, drawing on Sky News’ video-first strategy that aligns with changing audience preferences. Robinson, on the other hand, emphasised the need for cross-functional collaboration, addressing Reuters’ shift from a B2B to a B2C model aimed at delivering high-value, and personalised content.
The show-and-tell session delivered by Patrícia Voláská, Head of social media, podcasts and video at Denník N, was particularly eye-opening, focusing on strategies to drive media revenue growth while upholding high-quality, fact-based journalism. The session explored Denník N’s campaign subscription campaign for its 10th anniversary gaining more than 10,000 new subscribers in just four days by inviting readers to “be part of the change” and offering flexible pricing, including free subscriptions. This powerful case study introduced a fresh perspective on delivering value through trust, transparency, and shared purpose, and showcased the strength of community-driven growth.
The panel featuring Lea Korsgaar, Co-Founder and Editor in Chief at Zetland, Joshi Herrmann, Founder at Mill Media Co. and Lisa MacLeod, Director at FT Strategies made a compelling case for the “less is more” approach in journalism. The panellists shared their philosophy of focusing on depth rather than breadth, building strong community ties and committing to quality over quantity. They highlighted that the aim is not to cover everything but to give people a small number of stories that are meaningful.
Their approach offered another example of the importance of building deeper community relevance and raised the need for clarity around a fundamental question: For whom are journalists reporting, or whose problems are they solving—and why does it matter? The discussion explored the idea of journalists as part of the community itself, making thoughtful journalism a personal responsibility.
Another topic that was touched upon in almost every session at this year’s Newsrewired was how to attract and retain the next generation of journalists. Throughout the event, panellists appeared to be in consensus that impact, mission, and values are the key elements motivating young talent, and they emphasised the importance of purpose-driven journalism.
Speakers also stressed the importance of empowering early-career journalists, not only by opening up more entry points into the profession, but also by rethinking traditional newsroom structures. As Tracy Yaverbaun clearly stated, attracting talent is only half the challenge: “It’s not a problem hiring, it’s making sure our editors and people running the newsrooms are supporting the people we’re bringing in.”
Support for young journalists goes beyond simply creating space for new ideas in newsrooms. It also means equipping them with the tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving media landscape. Simon Robinson reinforced this point, emphasising the need for training journalists as product developers—adaptable, audience-focused, and tech-savvy.
Walking away from this year’s Newsrewired, what stood out most was the focus on value-driven journalism. Whether it was Naja Nielsen’s call to make journalism matter enough that people will fund it, or newsrooms embracing a “less is more” approach to serve their communities with depth and care, the message was clear: value lies not just in what is produced, but in how and why it is produced.
Students from the University of Sheffield live blogging the Newsrewired conference. Credit: Mark Hakkanson
Adding to the energy of the day, journalism students were on the ground live-blogging the sessions using the Tickaroo platform, capturing key insights in real-time. Their presence was a reminder that the future of journalism is already here—curious, engaged, and ready to contribute.