Predictions for Journalism 2022 » Collections » Nieman Journalism Lab » Pushing to the Future of Journalism

Predictions for Journalism 2022

Each year, we ask some of the smartest people in journalism and media what they think is coming in the next 12 months. At the end of a trying 2021, here’s what they had to say.

More predictions posting through Dec. 21

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Natalia Viana
It’s time for the global North to look South

Raney Aronson-Rath
Turning technology into an accelerant for truth

Doris Truong
Inverting the talent pipeline

“We’ll see more attacks on public institutions — libraries, universities, school boards, news organizations. They’ll be hard to parse and hard to think about as connected.”

Melody Kramer
Newsrooms, social scientists, public health professionals, and librarians unite

“The gravitational pull toward the grave remains rather ferocious. But what’s exciting is that there are many seeds being sown, watered, and tended to in the bottom loop — the emergent system.”

Jennifer Brandel
The great transition

“Old journalism will be swept away and replaced by newer, younger, more diverse journalism that looks like my students.”

Robert Hernandez
What the next generation of journalists thinks

“To be truly impactful, any such coalition should be built to put the people and communities most affected in decision-making roles and also focus on policy and systems change.”

Stefanie Murray, Collective impact models will strengthen and redefine local news

“‘Too hard’ isn’t an acceptable answer in a college classroom, much less from some of the smartest technically minded people in the world.”

Nikki Usher, The news industry will stop saying overdue UX fixes are too hard

“There’s nothing wrong with for-profit as long as your company isn’t interested only in profit.”

Larry Ryckman, The hedge funds don’t have to win every time

Ariel Zirulnick
Audience engagement ≠ community engagement

Shannon McGregor & Carolyn Schmitt
Both sides when there’s only one

Francesco Zaffarano
Data’s not enough: It’s time to meet with your community

Alice Antheaume
We remember the importance of face-to-face reporting

“It’s not hard to imagine that many in the next generation of challengers to established digital media players like BuzzFeed and Vox Media will be DAOs.”

Daniel Eilemberg, Journalism goes Web3

“We’ll mitigate the risks of our often uneasy relationships with Facebook, Google, and Apple by further doubling down on diversifying our audience sources and cultivating direct relationships with readers.”

Sarah Marshall, Audience development roles broaden further

AX Mina
When care becomes a core tenet of journalism

Tamar Charney
Limiting limitless news

All predictions in chronological order

Natalia VianaIt’s time for the global North to look South“In the face of climate collapse, it’s time for the North to start looking South — and learn from its people and journalists.”

Raney Aronson-RathTurning technology into an accelerant for truth“If money and criminality know no boundaries, then why should journalism?”

Doris TruongInverting the talent pipeline“To grow talent, news organizations need to invest in creating fertile ground for emerging journalists to do their best — and to make occasional mistakes.”

Melody KramerNewsrooms, social scientists, public health professionals, and librarians unite“We’ll see more attacks on public institutions — libraries, universities, school boards, news organizations. They’ll be hard to parse and hard to think about as connected.”

Jennifer BrandelThe great transition“The gravitational pull toward the grave remains rather ferocious. But what’s exciting is that there are many seeds being sown, watered, and tended to in the bottom loop — the emergent system.”

Robert HernandezWhat the next generation of journalists thinks“Old journalism will be swept away and replaced by newer, younger, more diverse journalism that looks like my students.”

Stefanie MurrayCollective impact models will strengthen and redefine local news“To be truly impactful, any such coalition should be built to put the people and communities most affected in decision-making roles and also focus on policy and systems change.”

Nikki UsherThe news industry will stop saying overdue UX fixes are too hard“‘Too hard’ isn’t an acceptable answer in a college classroom, much less from some of the smartest technically minded people in the world.”

Larry RyckmanThe hedge funds don’t have to win every time“There’s nothing wrong with for-profit as long as your company isn’t interested only in profit.”

Ariel ZirulnickAudience engagement ≠ community engagement“Newsrooms won’t find the key to any of this in their analytics.”

Shannon McGregor & Carolyn SchmittBoth sides when there’s only one“Whether they center their reporting on elected officials or everyday Americans, journalists are faced with a nearly impossible choice when it comes to the Republican Party.”

Francesco ZaffaranoData’s not enough: It’s time to meet with your community“Data can trick us into repeating the same patterns because they satisfy our current audience — instead of helping us build a larger or more deeply engaged one.”

Alice AntheaumeWe remember the importance of face-to-face reporting“It might let you glimpse that almost imperceptible frown on your source’s face when you ask a question.”

Daniel EilembergJournalism goes Web3“It’s not hard to imagine that many in the next generation of challengers to established digital media players like BuzzFeed and Vox Media will be DAOs.”

Sarah MarshallAudience development roles broaden further“We’ll mitigate the risks of our often uneasy relationships with Facebook, Google, and Apple by further doubling down on diversifying our audience sources and cultivating direct relationships with readers.”

AX MinaWhen care becomes a core tenet of journalism“Issues of care extend not just to newsrooms but also to how we do the news; our audiences are suffering, too.”

Tamar CharneyLimiting limitless news“Maybe it’s the pandemic, maybe it’s just a pendulum swinging back, but data suggests people are moving in the direction of more finite forms of news in their diets.”

James GreenAudio docs embrace “muxture”“Today’s audio documentaries are allergic to rhythm and obsessed with a hero’s narrative.”

Joy MayerBeing honest about how journalists are different from their communities“Journalism is a team sport. We rely on each other to help us best reflect a complicated world and to wrestle with the most accurate versions of a variety of perspectives in good faith.”

Tom TrewinnardPublishing goes direct as news goes conversational“Direct publishing through conversational platforms offers a mobile-native, highly interactive experience in apps and interfaces that most people are using every day.”

Megan McCarthyMedia stays Covid-escapist, but grief creeps in“You won’t see many mask-wearers in films this year.”

Joni DeutschIt’s time to take podcast audience development seriously“We’re past the point of ‘If you podcast it, the audience will come.‘”

Chicas PoderosasAccessibility in journalism is urgent“We must take advantage of new technologies in the name of inclusion.”

Moreno Cruz OsórioDoubling down on Brazilian journalism’s strengths to stand up for democracy“2022 will be the year of a plural, accessible, inclusive journalism — and in being so, one that is more capable of representing the complexity of Brazil.”

Shalabh UpadhyayCan journalism survive in a post-news world?“In a world of surplus information, news as a product is fast losing its relevance.”

Tony BaranowskiDrawing lines between corporate and local news“Media insiders have understood for decades that newspapers weren’t dying — they were being murdered. Now we’re finally saying it out loud.”

David CohnInformation wants to be free, but digital property won’t be“What Web 3.0 represents is an Internet where private digital property is finally realized. Safe and secure property rights are the basis of any thriving marketplace.”

Brian MoritzYou’ll be able to buy a newspaper day pass“2022 is the year that publishers can, will, and should start offering daily passes to read articles.”

Millie TranBuilding operational resilience into newsrooms“Suddenly, operations isn’t just process — it’s the whole strategy.”

John DavidowOK, boomer: Time to think of your Plan B“Boomers preparing and planning for graceful exits will fare much better than newsroom leaders who don’t have their go-bags ready.”

Meena ThiruvengadamWe’re not going to take it“We now have a better understanding of our power, not just to generate revenue but to create a news business that is more equitable, more fair, and better to the people who power it.”

Jessica ClarkFrom extractive to regenerative“Regenerative industries and processes focus on developing self-renewing systems that take both natural and human resources into account. They recognize that both are finite.”

Simon GalperinWe admit the market won’t save us“Journalism leaders called for Lee to fend off the vulture hedge fund in order to help preserve a democratic press. Lee told Alden they’d just need a higher return to sell us out.”

Matt KarolianMedia 3.0: The news creator economy arrives“This shift will untether journalists and their audiences from the rigid 20th-century paper-digm we live in today.”

James SalangaRealizing inequality in news goes a lot deeper than diversity numbers“By focusing primarily on demographic changes as a measure of anti-racism, legacy newsrooms are implicitly giving weight to the idea that existing in a white supremacist system is enough to change it.”

Gabe SchneiderThe sheen of nonprofit news wears off“The most important thing for a newsroom isn’t being ‘nonprofit’ — it’s about the values it lives up to.”

Simon AllisonMore news is the problem, not the solution“Journalism now functions to condense, contextualize, and curate the sheer volume of information that is out there and accessible to all — to stand between readers and the abyss of the infodemic.”

Chase DavisDigital subscriber growth will slow, but that won’t be all bad“Slowing growth will renew our imperative to focus on the needs of our readers and the quality of our products — simply because it leaves us with no other choice.”

Burt HermanA Cambrian explosion of news startups is coming“While it may seem like responsible, dogged journalism is gasping for its last breath, newsrooms can and are rising from the ashes.”

Amy Schmitz WeissSpatial journalism will see its day in the sun“Spatial journalism is not about just using locative technology. It’s also about understanding how spaces and places create meaning for the user.”

Jesse HolcombTomorrow’s news audience: Smaller, but more obsessed“It’s a whole new era of convergence, one that a growing segment of the American news audience distrusts — but also can’t resist.”

Kristen MullerThe rise of nationalism becomes a local story“If newsroom leaders don’t have a plan to cover the ‘Big Lie’ locally, they must prioritize it as soon as possible.”

Jesenia De Moya CorreaCommunity media keeps outpacing mainstream media“The year 2022 will further propel the movement that ignited the new U.S. American mainstream — one that will be organically diverse, increasingly inclusive, and factually equitable for generations to come.”

Christina ShihAsking for help pays off“It takes courage, vulnerability and a bit of education to help readers understand the true cost of producing public service journalism.”

Don DayThe vulture funds are coming for local TV“Alden buys up lots of papers, cuts as much as possible on the expense side, and tries to manage the decline on the revenue side. Is local TV next?”

Kathleen Searles & Rebekah TrumbleWe’ll recognize the harassment of journalists isn’t an individual problem“The information ecosystem journalists operate in today necessitates an updated understanding of professional danger.”

Errin HainesGetting beyond symbolism to substance“Next year presents a fresh opportunity for journalists to get past the sparkle of the ‘first’ and into the substance of how women and people of color campaign, get elected, and govern.”

Paul CheungBusiness infrastructure, not business models“It’s time to stop talking about a new business model — because there is no new business model that will magically make journalism financially sustainable.”

Gordon CrovitzThe year advertisers stop boycotting news“Restoring digital advertising to quality news publishers is a rare case where companies can do good and do well.”

Mike RispoliIt’s time to build collective power to serve communities“There is no future for local news without innovative public policy and a huge infusion of public dollars to meet community information needs.”

Rachel GlickhouseIt’s now or never to expand remote work in newsrooms“This is the last chance to take what we’ve learned from the pandemic and implement long-term changes that can help these organizations become more inclusive and better places to work.”

Mary Walter-BrownWe acknowledge cohort burnout“We often talk with newsroom leaders who feel compelled to accept every invitation to participate in a program because they don’t want to miss an opportunity.”

Laxmi ParthasarathyThe year we improve representation in international coverage“When we hire reporters who speak local languages and deeply understand the nuanced perspectives of the communities they cover, sources recognize themselves in stories.”

Jonas KaiserLeave fact-checking to the fact-checkers“People use fact-checks to dunk on the other side, to cherry-pick information, and to counter-fact-check other fact-checks.”

Gonzalo del PeonPhilanthropy- and community-launched startups tackle news deserts“Although these incredible entrepreneurs have done vital work for their communities, these organizations by and large remain small and fragile: Only 20% say they are financially sustainable.”

Joshua P. DarrGovernment subsidies to save local news“If the reality today is that local news is in danger of failing in the marketplace, should the government step in and help?”

Julia AngwinStatistical sleuthing brings trust back to journalism“Newsrooms will begin to build innovative digital research labs equipped to use automation, computation, quantitative analyses, and forensic techniques.”

Mandy JenkinsThe future of journalism is still remote“We’ve gotten into a groove — and really, who wants to put dress shoes on again, anyway?”

Christoph MergersonJournalists acknowledge equity as an essential value of democracy“If journalists and news executives believe in an essentially elitist form of democracy — or if they’re at least willing to live with it for their own social, political, or financial advantage — then their news organizations and coverage will reflect that.”

Juleyka LantiguaStanding up to the “brown discount”“ATMs do not accept hope as currency.”

Anthony NadlerThe coming backlash to journalism’s nichification“As with advertising, the nichification of journalism doesn’t simply cater to existing differences in news consumers’ interests. It reinforces and magnifies such differences.”

Rasmus Kleis NielsenInvest in tools and talent, and newsrooms can finish the job“The furniture industry seems able to invest in its future. Maybe we can, too?”

Catalina AlbeanuLet’s talk about what sustainability really means“Sustainability is a kind of attention that’s only accessible when newsroom staff have time to think and explore, and to be closer to our communities, without feeling like this is time stolen from other deliverables.”

Matt DeRienzoHistorical context will improve local journalism“If historical context about racial discrimination is on the checklist for every story journalists pursue, it will change how we write about labor, education, health care, transportation, crime, technology, and the environment.”

Whitney PhillipsThe no-win politics of defending democracy“This is no-win politics: Fighting back against the anti-democracy faction feeds into anti-democratic attacks — but so does refusing to take up arms.”

Eric NuzumLegacy news orgs dump their podcast strategies“Remember all those pivots to video? The same thing will happen to podcasting.”

Julia MunslowGen Z demands personality from journalists“In 2022, we must embrace innovation and take Gen Z seriously as news consumers.”

Kristen JeffersA press where Black labors are not in vain“The Black press matters, and it, along with the media and press of all the marginalized, will be our saving grace going forward.”

Jody BrannonThe rise of the democracy beat, powered by policy“I expect more institutions and journalistic enterprises to build on efforts to protect democracy.”

Stephen FowlerPolitical journalism has to rise to the occasion — but probably won’t“Political journalism should be more forceful with the facts, more transparent with its processes, and more educational with its goals.”

Kendra Pierre-LouisWe’ll keep pummeling people with facts that leave out context“If we can’t give clear, accurate messages about something as transparent as an infectious disease, what hope do we have for the complexity of climate change?”

Anika AnandThe year we’ll be able to tell who’s built a successful local news business“I’ve seen ‘success stories’ suddenly shut down sites or lay off half their staff in a day. And while ‘sustainability’ is the word the industry throws around to describe long-term success, no one has clearly defined it.”

Michael W. WagnerNational news will be overmatched, local news will be undersupported“Without a democracy-oriented national media, and a healthy, diverse local media, all the alarms that experts sound about how our form of government is on the brink will go unheard by the people.”

Victor PickardThe local rise of Public Media Centers“Journalism’s transitional moment could be transformational — but only if we reinvent our news media, not resuscitate failing commercial models.”

Zizi PapacharissiFixing old media’s flawed foundations“We never fixed what was broken about old media. Instead, we built something new on top of an already flawed foundation.”

Sarah StonbelyNewsrooms and civil society organizations team up“Though not (yet?) very common in the U.S., projects involving both journalists and civil society organizations — usually advocacy groups, though not always — are a fast-growing trend globally.”

Wilson LiévanoCross-border collaborations become easier and more balanced“By working alongside local journalists as equal partners — not as assistants or fixers — newsrooms can finally put to rest the practice of ‘parachute journalism’ and build longterm, mutually beneficial relationships.”

Candace AmosNewsrooms stop mocking the creator economy and start learning from it“The days of poking fun at Instagram influencers are over — because they, at least, have a game plan.”

Cindy RoyalAll these new products won’t manage themselves“Most of your journalism graduates probably aren’t going to work as reporters and editors.”

Matthew PressmanJournalism grapples with its class problem“This is a problem because people from such similar socioeconomic backgrounds often share the same cultural outlook and the same blind spots.”

Richard TofelA more normal news year?“If it is, I hope we use the space freed up in our heads to learn some lessons from the craziness we have been through.”

A.J. BauerCPAC is over (if you want it)“Covering CPAC has always been ethically dubious; covering it now is journalistic malpractice.”

Anita VarmaSolidarity eclipses objectivity as journalism’s dominant ideal“Objectivity as an aspirational ideal ends up encouraging journalists to avoid addressing what matters.”

Jim FriedlichNonprofit journalism finally builds scale“Nonprofit news has created meaningful new reporting capacity for American journalism, but its long-term success and impact depend upon it becoming a much larger and smarter business.”

Cherian GeorgeGlobal cynicism about democracy will expose media to attack“China’s and Russia’s global influence operations won’t need to resort to fake news to exploit the genuine dysfunctions in the American system.”

Jennifer CooganThe news gap on the center-right won’t be filled“A new crop of right-of-center sources would help bring the balance that could restore daily news as a shared American institution. But I don’t think that’s in the cards for 2022.”

Mario GarcíaLinking content and format will be key“To do this effectively, journalists must conceptualize stories through an honest discussion that has format at its core.”

Izabella KaminskaFixing journalism’s credit score to earn back audience trust“As in banking, there are only so many times a journalistic outlet can misprice a story and suffer a proverbial default on it before readers begin to lose trust.”

Amara AguilarPrint makes a comeback, but not in the way you think“We’ll see more community zines being produced as an effective way to make news more accessible, amplify diverse voices, and help us collaborate with communities to make news — together.”

S. Mitra KalitaIn 2022, it’s all about community“The silver lining of Covid-19: Everyone’s a change agent now, whether they like it or not.”

Parker MolloyThe press will either save American democracy…or doom it“Democracy is bigger than Democrats and Republicans, and it’s incumbent upon journalists to defend it with all they have. I don’t believe they’re up to the task, but I’d love to be proven wrong.”

Ståle GrutManipulated media will fool you — yes, you“We need to prepare for a new normal, where scrutinizing online images and videos is as natural as being fascinated by them.”

Joanne McNeilThe end of the Silicon Valley insider–critic“We have a generation of ‘veteran tech critics’ with ties to the industry they comment on.”

Sam GuzikBetter paywalls won’t save us from what’s coming“Users will spend more time with devices without screens. They will get information directly from AI assistants that can summarize information without sending the user to a news website.”

j. Siguru WahutuA prayer for a humbler media“It’s time to acknowledge that the enduring belief of American media’s exceptionalism is toxic, and if it continues, it will take down democracy with it.”

Cristina TardáguilaJournalists embrace management opportunities — and train for them“Journalists must recognize that we don’t have superpowers and we need to be trained in the art of delegating.”

Joe AmditisAccessibility becomes more than an afterthought“Better late than never — but wouldn’t it be nice if it didn’t take a global catastrophe for newsrooms to consider the needs of people outside their most profitable markets?”

Andrew FreedmanThis is the year we all become climate reporters“Like the high tides invading Miami Beach, the climate change story is leaking into the newsroom.”

David SkokAid to publishers will be politicized“Populist alt-right and activist left-wing publications will use the tax credit as a cudgel to hammer reporters and editors for being in the pocket of the Biden administration.”

Kerri HoffmanIt’s not about ‘dominating the industry’ — it’s about cooperation“As the audience for on-demand content surges, and as technologies and new markets better enable its production, we have a radical opportunity to democratize media.”