With the rise of digital media and AI, the audience is growing significantly, while the media industry is facing fundamental changes. To succeed, the media must adapt to the needs of their audience, build brand trust, deliver high-quality content and use AI in support of the editorial process.

20 media outlet owners and editors discussed this topic during the one-day workshops on growing (young) audiences through digital business and organizational models, products and skills, led by digital media transformation specialist Dietmar Schantin from IFMS Media Consultancy

At the workshops, it was pointed out that a small group of customers has a great impact on digital revenue, therefore loyalty is a key factor that determines which visitors will be willing to pay for media content, but in return they should receive intellectual, emotional, social or monetary value.

Hence, it was said, it is vital not only to understand the demographic structure of the audience, but also to group audiences based on similar values, interests and lifestyles. Generation Z, for example, has specific interests, such as self-improvement, a better planet, equality, social justice, entertainment and culture. Therefore, the media must adapt to their interests in order to attract and retain this audience.

In order to meet the audience’s expectations, a key factor is the quality of the media content. It should include true and accurate information, storytelling in new digital formats using AI and constructive journalism that offers solutions. This, in turn, leads to building loyalty and trust from the audience, as well as a sustainable media business, it was underlined at the workshops.

The workshops were organized by the Institute of Communication Studies and IREX as part of the USAID Media Literacy Project “YouThink”.

Photo gallery from the event