There’s no slowing down media’s pivot-to-video 2.0
News Source
•2026-11-08T08:00:00-05:00
📰 What Happened
News publishers are pouring money into short vertical video for a second time. A decade ago, many outlets hired video teams and relied on Facebook to reach readers. That push collapsed after Facebook was found to have inflated its video view counts. Newsrooms cut staff, and many people in the industry still link social video with layoffs.
This time the push is driven by TikTok. YouTube now takes nearly 16 per cent of TV viewing in the US. About 20 per cent of Americans get news from TikTok, rising to 39 per cent for people aged 18 to 29. Anyone with a phone can make video, so the barrier to entry is much lower.
🔍 The Backstory
Outlets are trying different approaches. The Washington Post built a big TikTok following early on. CNN has worked with Jubilee, the channel known for debate-style videos. The New York Times has a vertical series called "The Call", which feels like a video chat with a reporter.
Some newsrooms now hire creators or partner with influencers instead of only using their own journalists. Podcasts are filmed and cut into clips. Even long investigations are remade for vertical feeds. Critics worry this favours personality over reporting.
🎯 Why It Matters
Most young people now get their news from short videos. That changes which stories you see, and who you trust to tell them.
News publishers are pouring money into short vertical video for a second time. A decade ago, many outlets hired video teams and relied on Facebook to reach readers. That push collapsed after Facebook was found to have inflated its video view counts. Newsrooms cut staff, and many people in the industry still link social video with layoffs.
This time the push is driven by TikTok. YouTube now takes nearly 16 per cent of TV viewing in the US. About 20 per cent of Americans get news from TikTok, rising to 39 per cent for people aged 18 to 29. Anyone with a phone can make video, so the barrier to entry is much lower.
Outlets are trying different approaches. The Washington Post built a big TikTok following early on. CNN has worked with Jubilee, the channel known for debate-style videos. The New York Times has a vertical series called "The Call", which feels like a video chat with a reporter.
Some newsrooms now hire creators or partner with influencers instead of only using their own journalists. Podcasts are filmed and cut into clips. Even long investigations are remade for vertical feeds. Critics worry this favours personality over reporting.
Most young people now get their news from short videos. That changes which stories you see, and who you trust to tell them.