Holding on to Journalism’s Core Ethic in the Age of News Influencers: Recommendations for Journalism Education

Abstract

News influencers and creator-driven media are changing how audiences access and engage with news, raising important questions for journalism educators. This article summarizes discussions from a syndicate at the 2025 World Journalism Education Congress, where participants explored the implications of news influencers for journalism education, professional identity, and curriculum design. Participants discussed tensions involving authenticity, entrepreneurship, audience engagement, and trust, while sharing examples of emerging classroom and curricular responses. The syndicate ultimately adopted three recommendations: Preserve journalism’s democratic purpose, integrate effective techniques from content creation into journalism education, and strengthen students’ media and platform literacy. Together, these recommendations offer guidance for preparing students to navigate a rapidly evolving media environment while maintaining journalism’s core commitments to verification, accountability, and public service.