Poynter is reporting that a growing number of news organizations are exploring collaborations between journalists and creators. It said these partnerships aim to enhance community engagement and develop new revenue streams.
New York Public Radio and URL Media recently announced a project focused on creator-led events and revenue initiatives, formalizing a multi-year working relationship. The collaboration seeks to elevate civic conversations, community voices and trusted messengers, while creating new opportunities for partners, creators and audiences. S. Mitra Kalita, CEO and co-founder of URL Media, said these initiatives will be creative, reflective of New York City's diversity and designed to be fun or thought-provoking. She cited a previous successful collaboration with WNYC for an event marking Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s first 100 days in office, which helped reach new audiences.
Kalita emphasized that creators, a broad term encompassing various digital personalities, often serve as trusted messengers within their communities. She noted that many creators URL Media has onboarded primarily use video to engage audiences, a format newsrooms should learn from. She highlighted Yashica Dutt, a global voice on caste, and Nick Valencia, who covers immigrant communities, as examples of impactful creators.
The trend extends beyond this partnership. In March, the Lenfest Institute and the Google News Initiative announced the News Creator Summit Series. Project C offers resources for a new generation of journalists building lasting ventures, and the American Press Institute provides a guide on journalist-influencer collaborations. Other notable examples include Ariane Datil at The Philadelphia Inquirer and Krishna Sharma at The Baltimore Banner, both focusing on social video. Chicago Public Media is developing chicago.com as a community hub. Community-focused outlets like Epicenter-NYC and El Tecolote in San Francisco are also leveraging local networks and physical spaces for engagement.