Digital media consultant Mark Challinor continues the News Horizons series, which features interviews with the people shaping tomorrow’s media. Today, he speaks with Thomas Jacob, COO of the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).
The news business isn’t just evolving – it’s undergoing a rapid, technology-driven redefinition. That’s the view from Thomas Jacob, chief operating officer of the global press association WAN-IFRA, who believes media companies must move past platform dependency, diversify revenue streams, and leverage AI responsibly to secure their future. For publishers, the key to survival isn’t just about going digital; it’s about going authentic, consultative, and hyper-relevant.
According to Jacob, AI is proving to be a game-changer across nearly every function in the media. It’s not just a back-end tool; it’s transforming operations from the newsroom floor to the commercial engine.
In newsrooms, AI is automating routine tasks, speeding up transcription, and assisting with research, leading to “meaningful time savings” and “higher productivity” for staff. For the consumer, it powers targeted distribution strategies, recommendation engines, and personalized newsletters. Commercially, AI unlocks deeper data insights and smarter products.
Jacob stresses that this adoption must be responsible, advising media companies to start not with the tech, but with their values. He strongly recommends establishing clear governance frameworks on accuracy, transparency, and copyright, and involving legal and editorial teams early. While direct revenue from generative AI is nascent (only 9% of media leaders reported it in a recent survey), the indirect benefits of cutting operational costs are already real and measurable.
Jacob paints a picture of an industry finding renewed purpose by putting impactful and trusted journalism back at the core. The most encouraging growth areas for publishers are those built around the direct reader relationship, including digital reader revenues, particularly through bundled subscriptions, loyalty programs, and community-driven initiatives such as events and professional networks.
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WAN-IFRA’s data confirms this diversification. Subscriptions are vital, but not a “panacea”. Jacob advocates for a model where subscriptions and advertising work best together, with ad support broadening access and reader revenue providing stability.
“Other income” (which includes events, communities, and e-commerce) now makes up 26.3% of revenue—outpacing digital ads (16.6%) and digital circulation (13.2%). This shows that diversification is “an essential part of resilience."
In the advertising sphere, the shift is towards consultative partnerships. Sales teams must pivot from transactional selling to understanding a client’s overall strategy, a process increasingly supported by AI's predictive analytics, but still reliant on strong human relationships.
Reaching younger audiences is critical, and Jacob acknowledges they’ve shifted dramatically away from traditional media towards independent creators, influencers, and platforms focused on immediacy and authenticity (short-form video, memes). With the creator economy now worth over $100bn, traditional media must collaborate with creators and build a presence where young people are.
Even as the media landscape innovates, Jacob confirms print still remains relevant. Its role, however, is changing from a mass medium to a premium, immersive experience offering deep engagement, particularly with older audiences. To capture the attention of younger media planners and buyers, print must be framed as a component of integrated campaigns that leverage its unique audience connection, as demonstrated by examples like Star Media Group’s premium weekly distributed through Starbucks.
Ultimately, Jacob believes the future belongs to news brands that can successfully balance technology adoption with journalistic integrity, transforming challenges like platform dependency and trust erosion into opportunities for building direct, high-value audience relationships.
Jacob views the news business as undergoing a rapid, purpose-driven transformation, with trusted journalism at its core.
For me, the key takeaway is that future success hinges on a dual strategy: aggressively adopting AI while profoundly diversifying revenue away from platform dependency.
AI is hailed as a “game-changer” that boosts productivity, customizes audience experiences, and lowers operational costs, but Jacob cautions that adoption must start with governance and values—not just technology.
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Revenue diversification is paramount, with subscriptions and advertising working in tandem, and “other income” (driven by events and communities) now accounting for a crucial 26.3% of revenue, overtaking digital ad revenue.
To engage younger audiences, publishers must look to the $100bn creator economy and embrace their formats (short-form video, memes etc). Even print remains relevant, repositioning itself for premium, high-engagement audiences and integrated ad campaigns.
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The future demands that media companies shift to a consultative sales model and balance technological innovation with journalistic integrity to build resilience against market pressures.