[Breaking News] CNN gets it

CNN is launching "CNN Creators" - a new show and multiplatform initiative specifically designed to reach younger audiences through "digital-native storytelling."

And you know what? Good for them.

Seriously.

I know it's easy to be cynical about legacy media trying to adapt, but CNN is actually doing something most traditional broadcasters refuse to do - they're admitting the old way isn't working and they're genuinely trying to change.

They're building a state-of-the-art facility in Doha, Qatar designed specifically for creator-style content - open workspaces, technology for multiplatform production, the works.

They're hiring people who've worked in digital media at Vice and BBC.

They're producing content specifically for Instagram, TikTok, and social platforms using formats tailored to each platform.

They're focusing on topics like AI, tech, culture, sports, social trends - and delivering it in ways that feel "real, relevant, and relatable."

This is exactly what we've been talking about.

CNN is thinking like a creator… instead of just trying to distribute like one.

Their senior VP said this is "unlike any show we have ever launched" - and I actually believe that's a good thing.

It means they know they can't just do what they've always done.

They're genuinely trying something different.

They're taking a risk.

They're investing real money and resources into figuring out how to reach an audience they've been losing for years.

And let's be real - young people aren't avoiding news because they don't care about what's happening in the world.

They're consuming news differently.

Through creators.

Through platforms CNN wasn't built for.

In formats that traditional TV never considered.

The fact that CNN is acknowledging this and actually adapting? That's progress.

Now, will this work?

I don't know. Nobody does.

But at least they're trying.

At least they're hiring people who understand digital media.

At least they're building infrastructure that supports multiplatform content creation.

At least they're thinking about how young audiences actually consume content instead of just complaining that young audiences don't watch TV anymore.

Compare this to what we've seen from other traditional media companies.

The BBC complaining that American YouTube creators are a threat to British culture and asking for protection.

Legacy publishers just posting their articles to social media and wondering why nobody reads them.

CNN is actually investing.

They're building new facilities, hiring new teams, creating shows specifically for this audience instead of trying to make their existing shows work on new platforms.

That's the right approach.

When major players like CNN start taking the creator economy seriously, it validates what creators have been doing all along.

It proves that the shift is real.

It shows that you can't ignore digital-native content anymore.

It forces the entire industry to level up.

And honestly?

If CNN figures this out, if they manage to create news content that young audiences trust and engage with, that's good for everyone.

Better news literacy.

More informed audiences.

Higher quality content competing for attention.

The creator economy getting even more resources and legitimacy.

Look, I'm not naive.

This could absolutely fail.

Big organisations struggle with creator culture because they can't let go of control.

Sometimes, that’s the opposite of what makes creator content work.

But the fact that CNN is at least trying is a positive sign.

This is what adaptation looks like.

Not complaining about the algorithm.

Not asking for protection from competition.

Not trying to force old formats into new platforms.

Actually investing in the future and trying to meet audiences where they are.

Will CNN Creators be as authentic as independent creators? Probably not.

Will it feel as real as someone building their audience from their bedroom? Maybe not.

But if they give their team real creative freedom, if they let them experiment and fail and learn, if they truly embrace the creator mindset instead of just the creator aesthetic - they might actually pull this off.

And if they do?

That's a win for the entire creator economy.

It proves the model works at scale.

It shows that thinking like a creator isn't just for individuals - it's the future of all media.

It validates everything creators have been building.

So yeah, I'm cautiously optimistic about this.

If you want to read the full article about this, click here.

Remember, the creator mindset is all you need to grow 🌱

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