Hi there.

Today we’re continuing the digest from our master class on Building Direct Traffic Audience. We’re covering community, the need to move to more participatory journalism, and my top 10 principles I took away from our 13 guest experts across all three packed sessions.  

If you have questions, thoughts, alternative views, I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me on Slack or at Jodie.hopperton@INMA.org.

Thanks, Jodie

News, community, and the middle of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

We often talk about the role of news in informing, educating, and holding power to account. But somewhere in the middle of Maslow’s Hierarchy — above survival, below self-actualisation — sits the human need for belonging. Connection. Community.

And it turns out, that’s exactly where some of the most exciting work in news media is happening today.

In this final module of the master class, we explored how organisations are leaning into participation — not just as a nice-to-have but as a critical business lever. Because viral reach doesn’t build a sustainable business. Community might.

Nathalie Hill, chief audience officer at KCRW, framed it beautifully with her “5 Ps”: promise, personalities, partners, products, and participation. 

It’s a simple but powerful framework for building deeper audience relationships — and, critically, moving people off the platforms and into owned spaces.

Creators, she noted, can help bridge that gap. They offer authenticity, magnetic energy, and a direct connection that drives conversion — particularly through formats like newsletters, which remain among the highest converters for many.

This shift from watching to participating is something Helle Skjervold, product manager at Schibsted, is already seeing in action.

Schibsted’s experiments with live commenting and interactive experiences — designed to be “at eye level” — aren’t just boosting engagement. They’re also drawing in younger male users, a notoriously elusive demographic.

And what’s most exciting? These are core news products, not side projects.

Mindy Yuen and Peter Robertson from Condé Nast are similarly focused on adding community value but in a way that’s tightly aligned with each brand’s identity. As Peter reminded us, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Many community practices are well-established online. The challenge is in applying them thoughtfully, guided by audience needs and brand voice.

That note of caution was echoed by Gitesh Gohel, head of product and design at The Washington Post. Just because we can build something doesn’t mean we should. Their work on transforming comments into AI-moderated conversations is a case in point: thoughtful, purpose-driven, and shaped by intent. In some cases, the comments are the product.

And then there’s Village Media. CEO Jeff Elgie is pushing boundaries by redefining what a local news organisation can be. They’re not just publishing stories — they’re building impact-focused community groups, designed around specific passions and local relevance. In doing so, they’re taking on Facebook at its own game but with far greater alignment to their brand, mission, and audience.

Throughout this session, one question kept surfacing: Are we news organisations, or are we community organisations? Perhaps the answer is both. What matters is not the label but the impact. And the path to impact lies in understanding user needs, designing for participation, and being clear-eyed about what drives long-term value.

In the end, building community isn’t a distraction from journalism. It’s a powerful expression of it.

Date for the diary: Are you coming to INMA’s World Congress next month?

If so, please let me know. I would love to see you there and I am happy to connect you with fellow product and tech folk ahead of time so you maximise your conversations and make some new friends. 

Full details on the INMA World Congress are here, and you can reach me at jodie.hopperton@inma.org.

10 principles I took away from INMA’s Building Direct Audience master class

I’ve written about each of the three modules of the master class (the first two are here and here). When we put everything together from the 13 guest experts and great questions and comments from the 118 attendees from 90 companies in 31 countries, we come away with some core principles that apply to everyone.

1. Opportunity lies in change — but only if you’re ready.

The media landscape is shifting rapidly: platform volatility, AI disruption, and changing audience behaviour are rewriting the rules in real time. But within the chaos lies opportunity — for those prepared to experiment, learn, and adapt.

The future won’t be built on legacy models. It will be shaped by those bold enough to rethink what discovery, engagement, and loyalty look like now.

2. Think about impact, not just scale.

It’s easy to chase big numbers, but reach doesn’t always equal value. The most successful media strategies today are laser focused on meaningful engagement — connecting with the right users, in the right moments, in the right way.

Whether through newsletters, niche products, or habit-building features, value lies in depth of connection, not just breadth of exposure.

3. People follow people.

Trust is personal. As Jennifer Hicks from The Wall Street Journal showed, journalists with authentic, authoritative voices build powerful relationships with audiences.

When reporters step forward, share their perspectives, and engage on platforms like LinkedIn, it creates a magnet for community. This is a key area of growth — not just for reach but for brand loyalty.

4. Rethink storytelling, products, and features from passive to participatory.

Today’s audiences, particularly Gen Z, don’t want to just consume content; they want to interact with it. As Liesbeth Nizet of Mediahuis reminded us, “news is no longer the default, it’s in the mix.”

Multi-format storytelling, visual-led features, service journalism, and interactive experiences (like live commenting or quizzes) create stronger, more memorable connections.

5. Shared experiences build habit and drive engagement.

Whether it’s the daily ritual of Wordle or participating in a live news discussion, shared experiences give users a reason to return.

The New York Times’ success with games, forums, and newsletters shows that habit is social. And when people feel part of something bigger, they stick around longer.

6. Creators know community; we should learn from them.

Creators have mastered direct connection, habit formation, and community building. They know how to create loyalty through personality, relevance, and consistency.

Media companies don’t need to become influencers, but we can adopt their best practices, partner with them, and use their methods to build deeper audience engagement on our own terms.

7. Editorial alignment is crucial.

Great product ideas fall flat without editorial buy-in. We saw this clearly with Der Spiegel, where service journalism aligned tightly with the brand’s mission — and delivered meaningful results.

Whether launching games, newsletters, or community tools, success comes when editorial strategy and product innovation move together.

8. Turn engagement into the product.

Audience participation doesn’t just support the content. In many cases, it is the content. The Washington Post’s work on turning comments into AI-powered conversations is a great example.

Forums, polls, quizzes, and user-generated contributions can be integrated into both editorial strategy and monetisation models, creating value that compounds.

9. Loyalty drives revenue.

Habit isn’t just good for retention — it’s great for business. Engaged users are more likely to subscribe, spend time, refer others, and respond to ads.

As we saw across games, newsletters, and habit-forming products, investing in loyalty unlocks long-term monetisation — and protects against external shocks like algorithm changes.

10. “Follow no one” — but learn from everyone.

As Sinead Boucher of Stuff reminded us, sometimes the best strategy is to walk away from platforms that no longer serve your goals. But innovation doesn’t mean starting from scratch.

Research best practices. Study streaming, gaming, and creator economies. Then adapt what makes sense — and build what’s right for your brand, your mission, and your audience.

About this newsletter 

Today’s newsletter is written by Jodie Hopperton, based in Los Angeles and lead for the INMA Product and Tech Initiative. Jodie will share research, case studies, and thought leadership on the topic of global news media product.

This newsletter is a public face of the Product and Tech Initiative by INMA, outlined here. E-mail Jodie at jodie.hopperton@inma.org with thoughts, suggestions, and questions. Sign up to our Slack channel.

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