(Editor’s note: This newsletter came late this month; my apologies. You deserve better, and I will do better. The next edition, or part two of this newsletter, will come at the end of July so we can stay on schedule to once a month. Thank you for your support)

It's never been easier to get good information to people. All it takes is a phone and a social media account. But if the people armed with the facts and the expertise aren't the ones on these platforms, someone else will be. Because whether we like it or not, the way audiences consume information has changed.

Journalism hasn't. We're stuck reading reports, which, don't get me wrong, are important. But we're past the point of just naming the problem. We need aggressive action.

Here's the thing: based on my conversations with newsrooms and information-based organizations, they know this. And they still seem lost. They know they "need to do the creator thing." They just don't know what that means, or what to actually do about it.

If that's you, my next two newsletter editions are for you. In this one, I lay out the seven models being used by newsrooms I admire. In the next one, I walk through specific solutions — revenue, audience engagement, rebuilding trust — with interviews from some of the people I mention below. If I miss a model, reach out and I'll add it.

This model is ideal for the newsroom that has found the right creator to work with and is mission-aligned. Signing them to a long-term contract typically reduces their rate, and the long-term relationship allows them to understand your brand while exposing your work to the audience they've already built. The challenge, of course if finding the person.

Example: Amber Sherman with MLK50

This model is ideal for a newsroom that wants a face and a system to produce more news stories. You get a voice for the newsroom (which is typically a really good video producer) and you get someone who can bring the rest of the staff along with them. The challenge here is putting all the responsibility on one person. (More on this in the next edition)

Example: Salt Lake Tribune’s Trevor Christensen

Local creators are doing their journalism in their own way. History creators. Food creators. Travel creators. So rather than doing it separately, bringing them together is a great way to rebuild trust with the audience and generate leads. You typically have to adapt to their format. But it's a great way to teach these creators the difference between journalism and influencing. This model is usually expensive, but it can be worth it to rebuild trust and bring new audiences with you.

Example: The Houston Chronicle pairing with food influencer Shawn Singh

Based on my conversations, this model is something most newsrooms would prefer. However, most reporters never learned how to make vertical videos, so it's extremely challenging to do it right, especially if you don't have someone with a robust understanding of social media. The newsrooms that do it right have either invested a lot in training, and/or they've found those few people in the newsroom (note: not everyone) who make good video. 

Example: The rise of the Boston Globe’s Emily Sweeney

This is the most underrated way of reaching new audiences. (As a Gen-Z founder, I am biased) There are interns and early career journalists in newsrooms across the country playing the aforementioned roles of audience manager, creator, or editor. They are bringing new life and a new perspective. The challenge is finding the right intern and typically getting the newsroom comfortable with letting the young person lead or at least advise on the digital initiatives.

Example: Northeastern University’s “Reinventing Local TV News Project.” (more on this in the next edition)

Instead of buying traditional ads on Facebook or TikTok, you pay creators to promote your work to their audiences, especially creators who are mission-aligned. This works with both on-camera creators and "faceless" accounts like meme pages. You're borrowing trust instead of renting attention: their followers are loyal and engaged in a way an ad impression never is. Just know that depending on the creator, the price tag can land in the same range as the ads you were trying to avoid.

A newsroom can elevate a reporting project by pairing with an independent journalist who already has the sources — or is already producing the work — on their own. It's a genuine win-win: the reporter gets institutional backing and reach, the newsroom gets depth it couldn't staff for. The problem is supply on both sides. There aren't many creator journalists doing this level of work, and there aren't many newsrooms willing to share a byline with someone who isn't on payroll.

Example: Monique O. Madan and Florida Trib’s partnered story

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Thank you for reading the 3rd EVER edition of The Creator Translator. Your feedback is needed — what topic should I cover next? What resources or tools should I include? If you received this newsletter and didn’t like it, that's a bummer, but you can unsubscribe at any time using the link below. If you enjoyed this newsletter, follow me on social media using the link below or share this newsletter with a friend. See you next month!