Digital media consultant Mark Challinor continues the News Horizons series, which features interviews with the people shaping tomorrow’s media. Today, he talks to the executive editor for digital development and AI at BBC News.
Nathalie Malinarich
The news business is in the throes of a technological and behavioral revolution and for Nathalie Malinarich, the executive editor for digital development and AI at BBC News, the future is a fascinating blend of high-tech innovation and old-school trust.
In a candid look ahead, she outlines a strategy for growth that’s less about a magic wand and more about meticulous experimentation, audience obsession and the omnipresent power of AI.
Advertisement
AI is a “transformative technology” that’s reshaping how news is both consumed and created, according to Malinarich. But while the BBC is deeply invested in exploring its potential, the approach is rigorously cautious. The corporation has already flagged “serious issues with accuracy and distortion” from public AI assistants, leading to a firm commitment: experiment, but do so safely.
What’s the key takeaway for any media organization diving into the AI space? Define your core non-negotiable principles from the outset. “At least for now, you probably need more human intervention and oversight than you expect,” Malinarich warns.
For the BBC, this means all pilots, both internal and audience-facing, operate with human oversight at their core and clear editorial guardrails. The goal is to use AI to extend the reach and impact of its journalism, not compromise its integrity. It’s a transparent journey too, with a pledge to inform audiences about when and how AI is used.
While AI is vital for efficiency and future-proofing, the BBC’s present-day growth is fueled by successfully meeting audiences on their turf, especially the younger “true digital natives” who expect news to find them.
Social media is “very” important. Malinarich notes that globally, these platforms are often the primary source for news, making the role of impartial and trustworthy journalism on those channels even more critical.
The BBC’s efforts are paying off with the expanded vertical video offering on its own site/app and the “huge success” of its tailored journalism on platforms like TikTok connecting with new, younger demographics.
On its owned platforms, initiatives like the fact-checking brand BBC Verify and the analysis hub BBC InDepth are driving audience engagement and crucially trust, a foundation Malinarich says it “never takes for granted.”
Innovation at the BBC isn’t just about AI; it’s a longstanding culture of experimentation that leverages core technology to better serve audiences.
A perfect example is the logistical feat during the 2025 General Election, where the BBC launched “cameras at every count,” remotely managing 369 live feeds streamed on iPlayer.
It is also building a time-addressable media store into its supply chain, enabling fast turnaround clipping and VOD assets to respond quicker to breaking news. These moves allow the BBC to cater to diverse format preferences – from live pages to video roundups – and to execute its strategy of making the global local and the local global.
Looking 10 years out, Malinarich sees the media landscape defined by fluidity. The term “traditional media” is becoming obsolete as every organization makes the shift to digital.
Journalists will need to be platform-agnostic, moving between formats and ecosystems, which may include new concepts like “AI-native platforms” yet to be imagined.
The biggest challenge will be disinformation, fragmentation and disintermediation. This triple threat impacts audience behavior and general levels of trust.
However, this also presents the “big opportunity” to rethink how news organizations can be even more useful and relevant in people’s lives.
The core mission for the BBC – to be a reliable, clear, impartial and accessible news source – remains unchanged, but the way it reaches people and the way it earns their trust is set to look very different.
The next decade, in Malinarich’s view, is about mastering a new ecosystem where content is surfaced, interpreted and distributed by algorithms, demanding a sharp focus on metadata, discoverability and editorial integrity.
Advertisement
Nathalie Malinarich views the news business evolution through the dual lens of trust and technological transformation.
I think the core takeaway (for me, anyhow) is that the BBC’s strategy hinges on safeguarding its status as the most trusted news provider while aggressively experimenting safely with new tech. AI is seen as a transformative force bringing huge opportunities, but its implementation is strictly governed by human oversight and clear editorial guardrails, recognizing the risks of inaccuracy.
Growth is driven by meeting audiences where they are, making social media channels and platforms like TikTok critical for reaching younger digital-native audiences.
Innovation extends beyond AI, including leveraging tech for faster content turnaround (eg, time addressable media) and mass live coverage (eg, “cameras at every count”).
Ultimately, the future media landscape is defined by fragmentation and disintermediation. The key for news organizations is not just publishing content but understanding how it’s surfaced and distributed by algorithms, requiring a complete rethink of formats, discoverability and integrity to remain relevant.
Advertisement