Kraków, Poland (May 7) — Attending the 76th World News Media Congress in Krakow, Poland, was more than a professional milestone—it was a moment of awakening for our newsroom. Engaging directly with thought leaders like David Caswell, an innovator in structured journalism and AI, and Barry Adams, a widely respected SEO strategist, gave us not only inspiration but also clarity on where journalism must go.
In an era overwhelmed by algorithms, clickbait, and content churn, the resounding message from these sessions was simple yet profound: Content is not about quantity. It’s about value.
David Caswell challenged us to rethink how we frame the news. “We need to move from storytelling to story structures,” he said. “It’s time journalism evolved to reflect the complexity of our world in a way that’s both understandable and usable.” His insights into structured journalism emphasized how AI and technology can be harnessed to present deeper context, patterns, and relevance—especially in long-running, evolving stories.
Barry Adams, meanwhile, brought the focus back to discoverability. “Google doesn’t rank content for being prolific—it ranks content for being useful,” he reminded the audience. His call for high-quality, authoritative journalism underscored the importance of clarity, intent, and trustworthiness in every article we publish.
A Call to Action: Redefining Our Newsroom Mission
As we return home, it’s time to act on what we’ve learned.
We must audit our current content strategy. Are we chasing clicks or crafting meaningful narratives? Are we relying on outdated editorial calendars, or are we listening to our communities and responding with empathy and insight?
We call on fellow newsrooms—large and small—to embrace a mindset shift:
• Revamp workflows to prioritize in-depth, contextual journalism.
• Invest in training your teams in structured storytelling, data interpretation, and AI tools—not to replace journalists, but to amplify their work.
• Adopt SEO best practices not to manipulate rankings but to ensure your content reaches the people who need it.
• Collaborate across disciplines—tech, editorial, data, design—to produce journalism that is dynamic, engaging, and relevant.
The world doesn’t need more content. It needs better content.
