Audiences will increasingly direct news coverage - for better and for worse

"These new outlets are usually run by individuals or small teams that serve audiences ranging from tens of thousands to tens of millions. Their creators depend on close ties to their audiences: They respond to comments, chase the stories their audiences suggest, and adjust their reporting based on viewer feedback. In return, their audiences often support them monetarily, whether through direct donations or by listening to the ads or paid promotions embedded in their work."

"There are benefits to this close relationship - creators are more likely to do "service journalism" that is truly helpful to audiences, and to find creative ways to talk about complex topics using skits or comedy. They cover communities and topics that were never covered by legacy media. They are more accountable to their audiences, more often willing to admit when they are wrong, to apologize and commit to do better."

Mass media has fragmented into niche social-media channels, with more U.S. users now accessing news via social text and videos than via TV or news websites in 2025. New outlets are often run by individuals or small teams serving audiences from tens of thousands to tens of millions. Creators cultivate close ties: they respond to comments, pursue audience-suggested stories, adapt reporting to feedback, and receive monetary support through donations, ads, and paid promotions. This model produces service journalism, creative formats, coverage of underserved communities, and higher audience accountability. It also fosters echo chambers, outrage-driven content, and undercoverage of less popular but important public-interest topics.

Read at Nieman Lab