Against a backdrop of profound technological transformation and changing news consumption habits, the Digital Natives event, organized by J&Cia in July, brought together representatives from Metrópoles, UOL, and Poder360 to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing digital journalism in an era of fragmented, hyperconnected audiences that are often overwhelmed by content.
One of the most striking insights from the discussion was that 60% of Metrópoles’ audience is already on TikTok, reinforcing the urgent need to adapt journalism to new formats that are shorter, more visual, and designed for multiple platforms.
Fabio Leite, head of Metrópoles’ São Paulo bureau, highlighted the challenge of turning complex topics, such as the fraud scandal involving Brazil’s National Social Security Institute (INSS), into short, impactful videos without compromising journalistic quality or editorial responsibility.
Mateus Netzel, executive director of Poder360, shared the outlet’s successful experience with shareable infographics. According to him, the publication produces more than 30 posts a day featuring strong visuals, accessible language, and high engagement potential.
The goal is clear: deliver news in formats that circulate organically across social media, where a significant portion of the audience consumes and shares content.
Another highlight came from Murilo Garavello, UOL’s content director, who discussed the company’s strategy of segmenting audiences through WhatsApp channels dedicated to specific interests, such as K-pop, soccer, and anime.
The initiative has generated strong engagement and demonstrates how major news organizations are also investing in building online communities through more targeted, direct, and personalized communication.
Artificial intelligence was also part of the conversation, particularly as a tool for optimizing workflows, editing content, and improving SEO, while maintaining human oversight and adherence to editorial guidelines.
The expectation is that AI will further expand the ability to produce relevant, tailored content across multiple channels.
Data from the Reuters Digital News Report 2025, focusing on Brazil, reinforces the challenges of this evolving landscape:
- Only 17% of Brazilians say they pay for online news, a decline compared with 2024.
- 46% say they frequently avoid consuming news, highlighting growing news fatigue.
- Just 10% still read printed newspapers.
- And 42% say they trust the news media, down from 82% in 2015.
These figures reveal an increasingly demanding and selective audience that values not only information itself, but also how it is delivered.
Journalism, in turn, must become increasingly agile, trustworthy, innovative, and multiplatform, upholding editorial principles while experimenting with new formats, channels, and approaches.
The key takeaway from the event?
Simply being present on digital platforms is no longer enough. News organizations need to understand how to deliver genuine value to their audiences on each one.
The future of journalism depends on active listening, audience segmentation, personalization, and, above all, authentic connections with the people on the other side of the screen.
And these reflections extend far beyond newsrooms.
They also invite us to rethink the role of public relations, which today demands the same strategic perspective: one that is responsive to changing audience behaviors, embraces technological possibilities, and recognizes the importance of building meaningful bridges between brands and media outlets.
This means creating relevant content, exploring creative formats, and developing narratives that engage, inform, and deliver real value.
Elisandra Escudero
