Future Newsrooms Study 2026: Newsrooms back AI and audience-led journalism but workflows lag

FT Strategies and WAN-IFRA's 'The Future Newsrooms Study 2026' is a landmark global benchmark study. The first edition of this report looks at how news organisations are redefining editorial strategy audience relationships and newsroom capabilities in response to shifting audience behaviours, and AI disruption .

64% of newsrooms still build stories channel-first

Based on survey data from 448 unique respondents across 86 countries, the inaugural edition of the report finds that 64% of newsrooms still build stories channel-first, rather than audience first. Most newsrooms prioritise a destination-first commissioning process, rather than thinking of explicit user needs.

Strategy is becoming more audience-led, but execution is uneven

A clear consensus has emerged in terms of strategic priorities going forward: audience engagement is the most commonly selected goal among newsroom leaders, while business sustainability is the most important by weightage. Yet the translation of strategy into editorial practice remains inconsistent across newsrooms

Audience-first language is rarely being matched by audience-first workflows

Many newsrooms describe their strategy as audience-first, but their workflows reflect a different reality: 64% of newsrooms still design stories for a primary channel before adapting them elsewhere, while only a combined 21% begin with either a defined user need or target audience group. This matters because relevance, trust and habit are harder to build when content decisions are organised around output rather than audience purpose.

Distinctive journalism is becoming more visual, explanatory and community-led

Newsrooms are clearly moving toward newer formats and storytelling approaches that seek to help audiences understand, participate in and return to their journalism. Short-form video is the top format priority for most newsrooms, with 79% saying they plan to focus on producing more of it next year. Meanwhile, explainers lead as the storytelling approach that 73% of newsrooms are leaning on. Audience forums and live events are also becoming a more frequent part of the landscape, with just over half (51%) of newsrooms saying this is also a format they are using to maintain a distinctive editorial voice.