What would you do to get your reporting in front of an audience of hundreds of thousands? Or maybe even millions? Here’s a hint: You don’t have to get on the evening news.

In 2025, let’s imagine a new type of journalist in newsrooms across the country: A content creator.

Picture a modern-day news anchor who has perfected the skill of connecting with online audiences. They’re not only a news distributor, but also a bridge between the newsroom and the public. They use charisma, journalistic chops, and digital fluency to break down complex topics in understandable and relatable ways for the vast audience on social media. They build a loyal following. Maybe that TikTok video or X post featuring your reporting reaches the exact communities it’s supposed to serve.

For years, research has shown that news consumers are becoming increasingly interested in getting news from social media rather than on-platform. And on video-based platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, audiences are paying attention to ordinary people and influencers more than trained journalists. Most of these news influencers are not affiliated with or trained by a news organization. And a recent UNESCO study showed that a majority of influencers fail to verify the information that they’re sharing with their audiences.

What a huge opportunity for journalists. As many news organizations use the same old social playbook and struggle to drive traffic, creators thrive — breaking through the noise, building a loyal audience and driving engagement.

Some newsrooms, like The Washington Post and Morning Brew, are already running successful creator-led initiatives. And many others already have talented, dedicated social media editors. But too often, they spend their days scrambling to get posts up on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and more. It’s hard to find the time and resources necessary to craft a compelling social video.

In 2025, I hope newsrooms will prioritize social media as a core component of how news is distributed, consumed, and understood and invest in a content creator.

This person could easily become as synonymous with a news brand as an anchor is with a TV station. With that should come a competitive contract — people who are the face of a news organization deserve pay and benefits that match the level of responsibility.

Ask someone in your life under 40 where they get the news. Odds are they’ll mention a non-newsroom podcaster or YouTuber. Now imagine that influencer is in your newsroom already — a trained, charismatic journalist who has built a strong, engaged following on social media.

You bring them a story. Together, you co-create, collaborating to determine the best way to bring your reporting to life on social video. Maybe it’s breaking your story down, or maybe it’s a complementary video that shows how you gathered or verified your reporting. Then they share it across multiple platforms, where they’ve amassed sizable followings. And once it’s live, they engage with the audience, answering questions with more of your reporting and maybe even sending you tips and sources from the comment section that help drive your follow-up story.

The videos rack up hundreds of thousands of views. Maybe even millions.