The good thing about predictions is that they are never wrong. That’s why ADWEEK collected responses from more than 20 media executives to find out what they think of the new year for the industry.
Naturally, artificial intelligence has dominated the conversation, but media operators are divided on how the technology will actually come into play next year.
Other key themes, including fragmentation, trust and traffic, have appeared in previous lists and will likely also feature among the 2026 forecasts. Much of the activity simply oscillates between two poles – bundling and unbundling – that retrospection can take on the appearance of foresight.
Anyway, here is the slightly condensed and edited forecast for the media industry in 2025.
Generative AI is becoming more integrated into publisher operations…
By 2025, GenAI and AI are expected to play a much larger role in publisher operations, from advertising to creating copy to improving recommendation engines.
“If 2024 was the year of testing new GenAI technologies in the ad buying/selling process, 2025 will be the year of deploying the technology in tangible ways and launching new products and features that add real value ” said the Wall Street Journal’s chief revenue officer. Officer Josh Stinchcomb.
Sherry Phillips, the new CEO of Forbes, agrees.
“Media companies that embrace AI, protect user data, and foster authentic engagement will build deeper, more loyal connections with their audiences,” she said.
At the Daily Beast, who saw subscriber numbers soar under new managementAI is poised to play an even bigger role in its business next year, according to chief revenue officer Keith Bonicci.
“The continued proliferation of AI tools that publishers can leverage, including tools that help drive subscriber growth through an AI-assisted paywall, as well as tools that help improve the efficiency of journalists’ workflows,” Bonicci said. “2025 will be the year when the noise dissipates a little and vendors move from the analysis phase of these AI tools to more widespread adoption and use. »
…but operators are becoming less transparent about its use
Publishers have found themselves in something of a bind when it comes to using AI.
Consumer sentiment toward the technology remains unenthusiastic, making its overt use a risk, while its covert use risks even greater backlash, but only if detected.
As a result, some media executives agree that AI use will increase in 2025, but not transparently.
“We’re already seeing more media companies use GenAI to create content without explicitly disclosing: you know who you are,” said Jess Probus, publisher of BuzzFeed. “This will happen more quickly over the next year as technology gets better and cheaper, and most media companies stop even recognizing that AI is part of service or production .”
Puck co-founder Jon Kelly agrees.
“[There will be] There’s a lot more promiscuity when it comes to artificial intelligence than people imagine,” Kelly said. “I believe post-decline subprime brands will rely on AI in profound and unprecedented ways to create their content and stay afloat.”
The events become even more important…
Live events have been one of the industry’s bright spots since the pandemic, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down in the new year.
“I anticipate, at least in business-to-business marketing, that we will see less ‘dot and dots,’” Stinchcomb said, “and more collaborative, personalized partnerships centered around events that bring together blue-chip audiences and communities that will inevitably lead to greater success. long-term returns. »
Sara Badler, director of revenue at The Guardian US, echoed this sentiment.
“Sports and events will be more important than ever in 2025,” Badler said. “People want engaging industry events, outings, summit opportunities and lunches, all reminiscent of the 2000s.”
…but need to be corrected
Naturally, nothing good can last, and some publishers are preparing for the events market to adapt after years of growth.
“After a boom in live programming over the past few years, we’re going to see Darwinism step in to right-size the industry,” said Jacquelyn Cameron, Axios’ chief revenue officer. “Only strong programs will survive, and others will begin to decline. »
The traffic SEO landscape is becoming more fragmented…
Traffic sources that publishers once relied on, like search and social media, continue to send fewer referring readers to publishers.
“We are in an era of appropriate selfishness,” said Neil Vogel, CEO of Dotdash Meredith. “If you’re a platform, you don’t have to send us traffic.”
WSJ’s Stinchcomb agrees.
“The SEO/traffic ecosystem will continue to evolve, with an even greater emphasis on the value of audiences who come to your platforms organically,” he said. “As new social platforms and chatbots emerge, audiences are increasingly fragmented, presenting both challenges and opportunities and reshaping how users discover and interact with content. »
…but publishers with direct connections benefit
The increased difficulty of acquiring readers will put publishers with loyal audiences in a stronger position.
“Publishers are going to discover how raw scale isn’t worth much,” said Ben Smith, co-founder of Semafor. “We will see more entrepreneurial, targeted, and intelligent information products targeting smaller, engaged audiences.”
These direct relationships are also attractive to advertising partners, who value the insights that come from the connection.
“I also think brands will increasingly want to have a more direct relationship with their audiences,” said Karen Saltser, CEO of Bloomberg Media.
Business Insider Chief Revenue Officer Maggie Milnamow highlighted how these trends will influence advertisers’ data and targeting needs.
“As third-party cookies continue to disappear,” she said, “advertisers will invest more in first-party data and work with publishers that rely on much of that data, like our SagaREACT product recently launched, which uses cutting-edge technologies. AI to help brands go beyond contextual targeting and harness the power of human emotion.
Readers increasingly appreciate reliable sources of information
Thanks to GenAI, the breadth of information available – some factual, some not – has made it increasingly difficult for people to discern the truth.
This deluge of information threatens certain sectors of the media industry, particularly those that produce easily reproducible, basic content. But it has indirect benefits for news publishers who produce original reporting and strive to build trust with their audiences.
“Those who produce distinctive journalism – and, conversely, eschew basic journalism – will thrive,” said Politico CEO Goli Sheikholeslami.
The emphasis on factual, unbiased reporting will also benefit publishers next year, according to Jim Spanfeller, CEO of G/O Media, and Mike Reed, CEO of Gannett.
“Truth and unbiased journalism will be valued more than ever with the proliferation of AI,” Reed said. Spanfeller reiterated this sentiment, saying: “[There will be] a return in perceived value for real journalistic organizations: entities focus more on facts and real reporting than on opinion and blogs.
…but news influencers are becoming more visible faces for their media
While journalists benefit from institutional support, consumers are now more likely to trust individuals.
This will lead more publishers to experiment with delivering their reporting in styles more commonly associated with influencers, such as never-before-seen videos, intimate podcasts and personality-driven newsletters.
“We are seeing an increase in individual influencers as sources of information for the public compared to traditional media,” said Alyson Shontell, editor-in-chief of Fortune. “Media organizations will need to be creative in how they attract and retain their best talent to ensure they are always able to produce the highest quality content that appeals to key audiences in an increasingly global world. more fragmented, social and mobile. »
Bonnie Kintzer, CEO of Trusted Media Brands, agrees.
“Users want to see themselves and want authentic human stories,” Kintzer said. “They are increasingly aware of the content created by generative AI.”
Publishers and streamers will consolidate…
After two years of stagnation, mergers and acquisitions activities are expected to pick up again in 2025, driven by an improving economic outlook and a more favorable regulatory environment.
“Reduced regulatory oversight and favorable economic conditions will drive consolidation and innovation in the media industry,” said Robin Thurston, CEO of Outside. “Media agencies and brands will continue to acquire, develop new operating models and enhance their capabilities to thrive in a changing landscape. »
TMB’s Kintzer agrees, especially in the streaming ecosystem.
“There are too many offers, too much inventory and we expect consolidation,” Kintzer said. “Channels with established brands and proven programming strategies will rise to the top.”
…but fragmentation remains a problem
However, audience fragmentation will remain a problem for most publishers (and advertisers).
“Focused and niche media companies will continue to thrive,” said Adam White, CEO of Front Office Sports. “Many ‘niche’ media companies focus only on a niche and not on scale: there are many ‘niche’ areas that have significant audiences and influence.
But it will also benefit publishers with multi-channel advertising offerings that allow them to reach their audiences across multiple touchpoints, according to Bloomberg Media’s Saltser.
“Truly multi-platform brands, especially those with deep video and audio engines to complement excellent written journalism, will continue to have an advantage,” she said.
It will also continue to encourage revenue diversification as publishers find their audiences too small to maintain an advertising-only editorial business.
“Business models will continue to diversify, moving away from traditional ad-supported models,” said Aaron Levant, CEO of Complex. “Publishers who will thrive are those who have diverse business models with multiple revenue streams and a unique perspective on the world. »
