SABEW26

Some of the most influential voices explaining the economy and finance to young audiences today don’t work in newsrooms. They live on TikTok algorithms and social media feeds. And as younger readers turn to entertainment-first platforms for information, a new competitor with a very different set of rules has emerged: influencers.

This shift is already reshaping newsrooms. In 2025, The Wall Street Journal launched its “Talent Lab" to help reporters develop their social media presence. This shift is already reshaping newsrooms. In 2025, The Wall Street Journal launched its “Talent Lab,” hiring a "talent coach” to help reporters develop their social media presence. The program mirrors similar initiatives at ESPN and USA Today and follows The New York Times’ recent hiring of eight video journalists from The Boston Globe, CNN and Vice.

For journalists, what does it mean to think of yourself as a “brand?” How much personality is too much? And how do you meet audiences where they are without compromising credibility, objectivity or trust? This session will explore the rise of the “journalist creator” and offer guidance on navigating the growing pressure to be a triple threat in the modern newsroom: “reporter,” “performer” and “marketer.”