How news organisations must adapt to a media landscape increasingly shaped by influencers, creators, and social platforms is the focus of a new report released by the International News Media Association (INMA).
“Bridging the Audience Gap: News Brands + Content Creators,” explores how the rapid rise of creator culture, declining trust in traditional media, and platform-driven news discovery are transforming how audiences — particularly younger generations — engage with information.
The report dives into the rise and appeal of influencers as trusted news messengers, how news organisations are collaborating with external creators, turning journalists into in-house “journalist-creators”, building structured influencer strategies and guardrails, new metrics, payment models, and ROI frameworks, and the future of news distribution in the age of creators
Per the report, younger audiences are no longer seeking out news brands — they are encountering news through people. Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and podcasts have become primary gateways to information, with creators shaping political, cultural, and civic narratives. Nearly one in five U.S. adults now relies on news influencers as their primary source of information, rising to 38% among adults ages 18–29. By contrast, only 8% of adults over 65 do the same.
Written by INMA Ideas Blog Editor Paula Felps, “Bridging the Audience Gap: News Brands + Content Creators” offers an in-depth look at how influencers have become dominant distribution channels for news — and what publishers must do to remain relevant, trusted, and visible in this new ecosystem.
The report finds that trust in institutional media continues to decline, while creators build loyal communities through authenticity, personality, and platform-native storytelling. At the same time, 77% of news influencers have no formal journalistic background, and only 18% of teens can distinguish news from opinion or advertising, creating both opportunity and risk for the future information environment.
Rather than viewing creators as competitors, the report reveals that leading publishers are embracing two emerging models:
- Collaborating with external creators who bring niche expertise, platform fluency, and loyal communities
- Developing in-house journalist-creators who build personal brands through vertical video, newsletters, and social storytelling
Case studies highlight dramatic audience and revenue impact, including a 664% engagement increase from creator partnerships at MLK50, hundreds of new subscriptions driven by creator explainers at Denník N, and a 94% rise in subscription starts following staff-driven video strategies at Wired.
Globally, the trend is accelerating. More than 70% of adults in Kenya, South Africa, Malaysia, and the Philippines rely on social media for news, while creator economies in India, Africa, and Latin America are rapidly scaling — opening new distribution and revenue pathways for news organisations.
“Bridging the Audience Gap” concludes that the future of news will not belong to institutions alone but to networks of journalists, creators, and community voices working together to rebuild trust, relevance, and reach in a transformed media landscape.
“Bridging the Audience Gap: News Brands + Content Creators” is available for free to INMA members and for purchase by non-members at INMA.org/reports.
