DIGITAL NEWS PROJECT JANUARY 2022 Journalism, Media, and Technology Trends and Predictions 2022 Nic Newman Contents About the Author 4 4 Acknowledgements Executive Summary 5 1. The Business of Journalism is Looking Up for Some 8 1.1 Subscription and Membership Models Mature 10 1.2 The Creator Economy and the Battle for Talent 13 1.3 Make or Break Year for Digital Media Brands 14 2. Audience Strategies and Publisher Innovation 16 16 19 21 2.1 Audio Everywhere 2.2 Get Set for Another Pivot to Video 2.3 Publishers Identify Blockers to Innovation 3. The Practice of Journalism: Hybrid Newsrooms, Generational Change, and New Agendas 24 3.1 Hybrid Working Becomes the Norm 24 3.2 New Approaches to the News: Greater Diversity, Less Confrontation 26 3.3 Journalists, Harassment, and the Role of Social Media 28 29 3.4 The Challenge of Reporting Climate Change 4. Government Regulation, Privacy, and the Future of Platforms 32 35 5. What’s Next? 5.1 Arti?cial Intelligence (AI) and Intelligent Automation 35 38 40 5.2 The Metaverse 5.3 Web3, Crypto, and NFTs Conclusions 43 4