But the "AI earthquake" has changed things faster than anticipated. As AI can write financial news reports, summarize war developments, or summarize press conferences almost in real time, the value of "pure news" is beginning to plummet. What the public is looking for now is no longer just information, but a sense of connection, trust, and a "voice" they want to return to every day.
That's why more and more major news organizations around the world are transforming themselves into "super KOLs" —multi-platform content ecosystems where journalists become presenters, storytellers, content creators, and even central figures in the readership community.
When newsrooms no longer compete solely on breaking news.
The Reuters Institute's Digital News 2025 report reveals that global news consumption trends are changing at an unprecedented pace. A survey of over 97,000 people in 48 countries found that an increasing number of young readers are accessing current events through TikTok, YouTube, podcasts, and content creators instead of traditional news websites.
In the U.S., approximately 37% of people under 30 say they regularly get their news from social media influencers or "news content creators." This is a large enough percentage to make every news organization reconsider how it operates on the internet.
It's noteworthy that most of these content creators don't own huge newsrooms or have teams of hundreds of reporters. What they do have is the ability to speak to their audience in a more intimate, personal, and "human" way than traditional news broadcasts.
This shift has plunged journalism into a completely new competitive landscape. For decades, newsrooms' greatest advantages were access to information and speed of publication. But in the age of AI, those two advantages are eroding rapidly.
AI can write faster than humans. Social media spreads information faster than news websites. Chatbots answer questions faster than traditional search engines. Therefore, what remains for journalism to compete is its "relationship" with its readers.
The Washington Post and the TikTok Turning Point
One of the clearest examples of this trend is the Washington Post. Years ago, the newspaper had almost no presence on TikTok. But instead of simply transferring its traditional television style to the short -video platform, the Washington Post chose to "play the role" of a true content creator.
The central figure in that strategy is Dave Jorgenson, dubbed the Washington Post's "TikTok guy" by the online community.
His videos don't follow the familiar serious news style. They might be a comedic skit about American politics , a parody of a meeting, or a series of news explanations using memes and a Gen Z-style editing pace.
Notably, the Washington Post accepted the trade-off of many old norms to survive on the new platform. They allowed a journalist to appear as a content creator, talking about everyday life, building their own community of followers, and interacting directly with millions of young users.
According to Nieman Journalism Lab, the Washington Post even allowed Dave Jorgenson to produce a series of content for his personal account, instead of keeping everything on the newsroom's official account.
This represents a massive shift in newsroom thinking. For years, traditional journalism has focused on keeping the newsroom brand at the center. But the creator economy model operates on the logic that the audience connects with people first, and then the brand comes second.
The Washington Post's success on TikTok shows that young readers haven't turned their backs on news; they simply no longer want to receive it in the old way.
The New York Times no longer sells "articles," but "a lifestyle."
If the Washington Post exemplifies a social media-centric newsroom model, the New York Times represents a direction focused on building a multi-platform content ecosystem.
Over the years, the New York Times has quietly expanded beyond the concept of a "newspaper." They have invested heavily in podcasts, audio, games, cooking, lifestyle, sports, and personalized email newsletters.
The podcast "The Daily" is one of their most successful productions. The show doesn't simply reread the news; it tells stories in a cinematic style with its own unique soundtrack, pacing, and emotion. For many Americans, the voice of "The Daily" has become a familiar part of their morning routine.
At the same time, products like Wordle and NYT Cooking help the New York Times retain readers even when they're not reading the news. Users open the app to play games, find recipes, or listen to podcasts, and stay with the ecosystem longer.
According to its 2025 financial report, the New York Times surpassed 12 million digital subscribers. Notably, growth no longer relies solely on "breaking news" but stems from its ability to keep users returning daily for a variety of reasons.
Newsrooms now compete not only on the quality of their articles. They compete to capture readers' time.
The era of the "creative content journalist"
This shift is changing the very structure of journalism. Many international news organizations are now heavily recruiting for positions in social media video production, podcast hosting, readership development, and community management, instead of focusing solely on traditional writers. Some news organizations are hosting regular livestreams, building Discord servers for loyal readers, holding offline events, or creating paid membership groups similar to the subscriber model used by content creators.
The line between "journalist" and "journalistic content creator" is blurring rapidly. But unlike typical influencers, journalism's greatest advantage still lies in its ability to verify, investigate, and build long-term credibility. That's why many experts believe the future of journalism won't be a choice between "journalism" or "creator," but a combination of both.
AI can produce content at an incredible speed, but it cannot yet completely replace the trust that the public places in a particular human being.
In an age where the internet is flooded with anonymous content, the "face behind the information" has become the most valuable asset. Perhaps that's what determines whether a newsroom will disappear into the endless sea of content, or become a "super KOL" capable of keeping the audience coming back every day.
Source: https://congluan.vn/khi-moi-toa-soan-tro-thanh-sieu-kol-post349988.html
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