Evolving journalism: How traditional media and content creators are shaping news in India

"There is a phenomenal shift in how the media industry is structured. How news is consumed, who is consuming it, and what the audience needs have all changed. Content creation is no longer just a side hustle," Rupa Jha, CEO and Co-founder of Collective Newsroom, said during a panel discussion at Digital Media India conference in Chennai.

That's true, because creator economy is growing at 22 percent annually, which is more than the digital news economy.

"Traditional media doesn't pay enough attention to how the audience thinks or how they want to receive information. We haven't adapted our storytelling to match what the audience needs. People still do care about good journalism. The question is, who is giving them that now?" she said.

Are content creators taking over the role of journalists? Not really. But there's room for them too. They're relatable, quick to adapt, and often more natural in how they present things. That appeals to people who are bored of the usual way journalism is done, Jha said.

"There's space for both traditional journalists and content creators to exist together."

Content creators break media monopoly

India is one of the countries where there are almost no rules or laws to prevent media monopolies. In the United States, for instance, there's the Federal Communications Commission, which monitors media ownership in different sectors.

Back in 2011-2012, a single media group in India dominated English and Hindi newspapers, TV news, and radio.

"It limited the choices available to readers, viewers, and listeners," Siddharth Varadarajan, Founder-Editor of The Wire said, adding, "But now, content creators have broken this monopoly. We are now in a time of de-monopolisation of Indian mass media."

People have moved away from being loyal to one newspaper or one TV channel. Instead, they now consume media in small pieces from a variety of sources.

WAN-IFRA Members can access the panel discussion from DM India on our Knowledge Hub.

"We've benefited from the digital revolution and the breaking up of old media monopolies. But at the same time, it has also created space for all kinds of content creators," Varadarajan said.

The term "content creator" is very broad. It includes everyone from people making Instagram reels to serious journalists as well as book authors, film makers, musicians and more. Some of these creators' interviews have even reached nearly a million views on social media.

"While big monopolies still exist, content creators now represent this more open, accessible space," he said.

The need to find new ways to engage Gen Z

According to the latest Reuters Digital News Report, about 40 percent of people, especially younger adults aged 18 to 24, tend to avoid traditional hard news.

"This is a wake-up call for everyone in the news business. We've lost the way to connect with young people," Jha said.

She believes there are still ways to engage them with serious global stories - if they're told differently.

"There's a way to tell what's happening in Iran or Israel that will interest an 18-year-old," she said.

Meanwhile, Varadarajan said that despite young people primarily consuming non-news content on their devices, their presence there increases the chance they will discover and engage with news.

"Now, platforms offer more opportunities - but also new challenges. For newsrooms, the real question is whether we compete with or collaborate with content creators."

BBC's experiments with content creators

Collective Newsroom, which is the sole publisher and content provider for BBC News in India, has experimented with collaborating with content creators.

"The experiments worked well for both our audience and us," Jha said.

In 2019, BBC collaborated with six content creators across languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Marathi, and Hindi to cover elections uniquely and attract younger viewers.

For instance, a Hindi creator travelled to Bihar and Banaras, sharing election stories from a young person's perspective - "it felt fresh and relatable."

Popular YouTube channels also became faces of the coverage. In Gujarat, four young women bikers covered election issues in an engaging, unconventional way.

"It was a win-win: traditional media brought the audience, and digital creators brought in revenue. These creators marry both worlds perfectly," she said.

Although these experiments were successful, editorial control over the content was a challenge.

"When working with content creators, you need to follow an editorial framework to protect your brand's reputation. So, you have to guide and support them a lot. They bring a fresh approach to storytelling, while we bring editorial discipline," Jha said.

Also read: How BBC News is growing non-English audiences in its largest global market

Quality of news is deteriorating

The quality of news in legacy media is declining, according to Varadarajan.

"About 10-15 years ago, they spent more on reporting. Now, TV news feels more like entertainment with the same stories and guests, which drive young people away," he said.

This failure created space for content creators. Although they rarely provide deep news or analysis, they share strong opinions and reach massive audiences via platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.

With smartphones, about 85 percent of India can access content. The audience is bigger than ever. Yet, news media is struggling to provide good content.

"That's why content creators have become popular. Their content is different and hard to fit into regular news," he added.

According to our latest World Press Trends Outlook 2024-2025 report, publishers are now increasing editorial spending to compete for audience attention. It now accounts for 37 percent of overall budgets, up from 28 percent in 2023.

How creators make money

"It also takes a lot of effort and investment to work with content creators," Jha said.

Working with content creators has many challenges. They often have strong opinions and don't always follow the rules of fairness and objectivity that journalists have to follow.

"Still, they bring fresh and exciting ways to tell stories," she said.

The media and entertainment industry is growing about 10 percent a year, but news isn't growing much. Making money from news has become harder.

Most content creators focus on videos and use platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. These platforms support creators with ways to earn money, such as "super thanks" (where viewers pay directly), paid sponsorships, and brand deals.

The creator economy is growing fast and is expected to keep growing until at least 2032. Hence, content creators make money more easily than traditional media companies, which are more restricted by platforms.

Push for journalists to develop skills

As digital opportunities grow, journalists with specialised skills have a clear edge.

"Someone trained in journalism knows how to find a story, tell it well, and shape it," said Siddharth Varadarajan. "If they can also edit and package content, they're in a stronger position."

His advice to journalists: build expertise in one or two areas. "Being known as an expert strengthens your credibility and opens up career options beyond journalism."

Platforms such as Substack show how niche content can succeed, especially when audiences are willing to pay for specialised knowledge.

Rupa Jha concurred that specialisation is important. "Trust is no longer only about institutions - it's about individuals. You become a recognisable figure when you show authenticity and authority," she said.

This applies not only to journalists but also to those working in areas such as digital strategy or audience engagement.

Aultrin Vijay

aultrin.vijay@wan-ifra.org