The SOS to keep journalism alive through the crisis has surfaced new funders, capital-raising schemes and ideas on who to sustain public service journalism. From non-profit models to government support, each solution comes with risks.. 

Where do newsrooms turn when they can no longer afford to do the basics?

There have long been calls for a reinvention of the way journalism is practised. Will a blueprint for journalism beyond 2020 emerge from the way leading newsrooms are approaching, investigating, analysing and telling the story of COVID-19? Top editors on the hope for journalism and where change is needed to reinforce journalism’s mission and tip the scales of trust.

Key questions to be answered by this year’s annual report into the state of digital news:

Did Covid-19 win back trust in news?

Who is now paying for online news? How do you motivate the rest to do the same?

How should the media cover populist politicians?

Who do people blame for misinformation?

How do people value local news around the world?

Back in October 2017, Schibsted set up a media division that sat across the group’s titles in Sweden and Norway - and rapidly announced a goal to reach €100m in digital reader revenue by 2020. Now is a good time to check in with the leader of that division, Siv Tveitnes. From Aftonbladet to Aftenposten, her challenge is to encourage a portfolio of strong and successful brands to share technology and work together on new digital products.
Chris Janz has a similar portfolio at Australian giant Nine, which includes the Sydney Morning Herald, nine.com.au, The Age and the Australian Financial Review. They have also put in place a common digital structure across the titles, with group heads for product, tech and commercial, while retaining individual editorial ownership.
We talk about their common management challenges, including leadership in times of crisis, and explore some positive ideas for the future.