| Journo-influencer | |
| Type: | Profession |
| Activity Sector: | Media, Journalism, Social Media |
| Competencies: | Communication skills, Investigative skills, Social media literacy, Ethical judgement |
| Formation: | Journalism, Media Studies, Communications |
| Employment Field: | News organizations, Freelance, Social media platforms |
| Related Occupation: | Journalist, Social media influencer |
Journo-influencers, or journalist influencer, or news influencers[1] are professionals who blend traditional journalism with the internet reach of modern social media influencers.[2] A production of the internet age, Journo-influencres typically use platforms such as Substack, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to report news, provide commentary, and engage with audiences on social media platforms.
The rise of journo-influencers can be traced back to the early 2020s, as news consumption increasingly shifted to social media platforms.[3] Following their audiences, news brands as well as individual journalists began to adopt social media to expand their reach.[4] Simultaneously, some online content creators have started to engage in activities resembling journalism, uncovering facts, reporting on current events and offering analysis. The latter have been called as interlopers by the media scholar Scott A. Eldridge II[5]
According to the survey conducted in 2022 for the Reuters Institute Digital News Report, audiences today perceive journalists as including YouTubers, podcasters, comedians, authors, and social media influencers. The study found that these ‘alternative’ or ‘independent’ actors accounted for 15% of all named journalists in the United States, a figure higher than in any other of the researched countries.[6]
Journo-influencers typically have a background in Journalism, Media Studies, or Communications, combining these traditional fields with skills in digital media and social media marketing. Examples of key competencies include communication and storytelling, proficiency in using social media platforms for content distribution as well as navigating ethical considerations related to journalism and social media influence
Some of the journo-influencers mentioned in the 2022 LSE research report Can journalists be influencers? by Salla-Rosa Leinonen[7] include