# News Alchemists
> A weekly curation of links to make you think and give you hope about reimagining journalism and its role in society 
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).
## Pages
### What is News Alchemists?
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/about/
Last updated: 2026-03-25T13:11:53.000Z
I'm glad you asked! First of all, my name is **Mattia**, and it's great to meet you 🙌

News Alchemists is... honestly, I haven't figured out what word to use to describe it yet. I used to say it's a movement, but it's also a project, a community, someone said it looks a little like a think-tank (😮‍💨)... but I'm wandering off already. 

If you hit the **`Subscribe`** button, for you News Alchemists is first of all a newsletter. To be precise, it's **a curation of links I send every week via email to make you think and give you hope about redefining journalism and its role in society**.

**Why?** Lots to unpack here but trying to be brief: because I think it's quite obvious that the relationship between journalism and the people it aims to serve is **broken**. But I also think we can **heal** this relationship if we stay hopeful, nurture our sense of purpose, and learn from one another. That's what I hope to do for you with this newsletter:

1. Share insights and inspiration that give you **hope**;
2. Help you stay connected with the **purpose** that got you into journalism in the first place;
3. **Learn** from the many smart, kind, and courageous people who work every day to use journalism as a force for good in society.

Oh yes, let's put a face to the name, this is me. Hi again! 👋👋 Keep scrolling if you want to know more about me.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2025/02/Bonn_Institute_9-modified-copy-3-1-1.png)

### A little bit about me, and a little more about News Alchemists

Mattia is the name, and you know that already. Peretti is the last name (not related to BuzzFeed's CEO, sorry.) I'm Italian, I live in London, and I lived in Paris and in the Netherlands before. When I was younger... No, just kidding, you're not here to read the story of my life.

I'm a learning experience designer, a project manager, and a facilitator. I perform these roles in the journalism industry, carrying with me the imposter syndrome that comes from not being a ✌️journalist✌️and not having studied journalism. 

But I like to think that my 10 years of experience working in the journalism support space – at the [European Journalism Centre](https://ejc.net/?ref=newsalchemists.com), with [JournalismAI](https://www.journalismai.info/?ref=newsalchemists.com), and as an independent consultant – have put me in a great position to understand the challenges that this industry is facing and what we can do about them. Mostly because these experiences gave me the chance to learn every day from some of the smartest (and most often also kindest) people who work in journalism and care deeply, like I do, about its role as a force for good in society.

Last year, I was lucky enough to become a [Knight Fellow](https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/mattia-peretti?ref=newsalchemists.com) with the International Center for Journalists. I used the fellowship to develop the concept for News Alchemists: **a movement that helps everyone in journalism put people’s needs and curiosity and the benefit of society at the centre of everything they do**.

If you want to learn more about the vision and the beliefs behind News Alchemists, and meet some of the fantastic people who helped me bring it to life, [check out this page](https://newsalchemists.notion.site/News-Alchemists-869a252c53594662b36c204e67bc7b62?ref=newsalchemists.com) – which one day I will fold into this website. #workinprogress 

Enough for now. Find me [on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattia-peretti/?ref=newsalchemists.com) if you want to chat, or email me at [xhgmattia@gmail.com](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com). I'd love to learn more about you and what brought you to News Alchemists.
### Stories
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/stories/
Last updated: 2026-03-11T21:00:31.000Z
[🔶 7 things I learned from writing a weekly newsletter for one yearFor a little over one year, I’ve been writing the News Alchemists newsletter, a curation of links to make you think and give you hope about reimagining journalism in a people-centric direction. It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. In this post, I share 7 things![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/New-Alchemists_Slack-Icon-2-23.png)News AlchemistsMattia Peretti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/Seven-Things-2.jpg)](https://www.newsalchemists.com/seven-things-i-learned/)

[2025 Freelance Year in Review2025 was my first full year working freelance. It was... quite a ride. This post is a reflection on how things went and what my goals are for 2026\. I also share a breakdown of the revenue I made in 2025 – because we don’t talk enough about money, and we![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/New-Alchemists_Slack-Icon-2-9.png)News AlchemistsMattia Peretti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/Tate-Britain-1.jpg)](https://www.newsalchemists.com/2025-freelance-year-in-review/)

[Journalists need to create less and curate more“If information is the destination of the journey, 2026 is the year when we will finally care for the journey itself, and the people who share it with us”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/Untitled-design--6-.png)Journalism UKMattia Peretti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/Logo-Large-2.png)](https://www.journalism.co.uk/journalists-need-to-create-less-and-curate-more/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[What if news avoiders are right, and you don’t need journalism?Journalistic training emphasizes that our societies NEED journalism, but it’s fair to ask if anyone actually NEEDS the journalism we’re currently getting.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-8.png)Northwestern University Knight LabJoe Germuska![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/hero-purpose-of-journalism-2.jpg)](https://knightlab.northwestern.edu/2025/07/21/jr3-workshop-recap/index.html?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[Speculative Futures for JournalismIn a collaboration between IN/LAB and the global network News Alchemists, media professionals came together to co-create six speculative scenarios exploring the possible futures of journalism. Each scenario offers a distinct vision of what might lie ahead and invites the industry to reflect on the kind of future it wants to help shape. BACKGROUNDIn the fall of 2024, IN/LAB partnered with the News Alchemists, a global network of media professionals, to explore how journalism might evolve in the y![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/efd447_7dd176f9b6834b15bd96f6aa39f28fdb-mv2.png)IN/LABMolly Grönlund Müller![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/85cb71_64f9dde72e6743518f4e75deaf996c1c-mv2.jpg)](https://www.inlabnews.com/post/speculative-futures-for-journalism?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[The year we redefine our relationship with audiences and our role in societyIf you work in journalism, you might recognize that 2024 was a year of reckoning for our industry. I certainly do. At the start of the year, I embarked on a Knight Fellowship with ICFJ to explore how generative AI can be used to improve the way we serve information to our audiences. I was determined to do something meaningful. But something sounded off-key.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon.png)International Journalists' NetworkMattia Peretti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/pablo-garcia-saldana-lPQIndZz8Mo-unsplash.jpg)](https://ijnet.org/en/story/year-we-redefine-our-relationship-audiences-and-our-role-society?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[Reinventing journalism: New ideas for a people-centric sustainable futureEditor’s note: The following is a keynote address given by ICFJ Knight Fellow Mattia Peretti at the Media Party conference in Buenos Aires in late August. The title of this talk is “Reinventing Journalism: New Ideas for a People-Centric Sustainable Future.” There are a couple of loaded concepts in there, which we will try to unpack in the next few minutes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1.png)International Journalists' NetworkMattia Peretti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/Mattia-20Peretti-20-40-20Media-20Party-202024-20-3-.png)](https://ijnet.org/en/story/reinventing-journalism-new-ideas-people-centric-sustainable-future?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[Toward an audience-centric future for journalismFrom mass layoffs and diminished revenue, to lack of trust in media, press freedom crackdowns and more, the news industry today faces no shortage of challenges.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-4.png)International Journalists' NetworkSofia Heartney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/JamillahKnowles-Reset.TechAustraliaPeopleon-20phones-20-portrait--1280x1809.jpg)](https://ijnet.org/en/story/toward-audience-centric-future-journalism?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[To reinvent journalism, start by updating its missionTrust in journalism is at an all-time low, engagement is declining, and the business outlook for the industry is uncertain at best. These are facts. The question is whether you think this situation is inevitable or if you believe things could be better. I’m in the latter camp.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-2.png)International Journalists' NetworkMattia Peretti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/JamillahKnowles-Reset.TechAustraliaDetailfrom-20Connected-20People-1280x720.jpg)](https://ijnet.org/en/story/reinvent-journalism-start-updating-its-mission?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[It’s not about AI: Toward a user-centric, sustainable future for journalismHi, my name is Mattia Peretti and I’m a 2024 ICFJ Knight Fellow. I became a fellow to explore how generative AI can be used by news organizations to better serve their communities, and I’ve spent the last four weeks talking with many smart people in the industry to make sense of this problem statement and figure out what to build from it.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-3.png)International Journalists' NetworkMattia Peretti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/YasmineBoudiaf-LOTIDataProcessing-2560x1439.png)](https://ijnet.org/en/story/it%E2%80%99s-not-about-ai-toward-user-centric-sustainable-future-journalism?ref=newsalchemists.com)
### Sponsor the News Alchemists newsletter
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/advertise/
Last updated: 2026-03-30T10:33:00.000Z
![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/1000x250-1.png)

One year after starting as an experiment in 2025, the News Alchemists newsletter has become the friendly companion of hundreds of media professionals seeking reasons to be hopeful about the future of journalism. 

They're looking for ideas, resources, and best practices to help them redefine the relationship between journalism and the people it aims to serve (also known as "the audience").

**This newsletter is free for readers and always will be. That's where you come in.** When you sponsor News Alchemists, you're reaching journalism professionals who genuinely value the products and services you offer – but you're also supporting the kind of independent, people-centric thinking that this community relies on. It's advertising that serves a purpose beyond the ad itself.

### In a nutshell

👥 \~1,000 subscribers, from 80+ countries

📊 60.3% open rate / 10.1% click rate

📬 Once a week on Tuesday (9 am GMT)

### What readers love about the newsletter

The News Alchemists newsletter s*hares best practices and insights on how journalists are thinking (and need to think) about audiences, information needs and impact in different ways*. 

It celebrates *innovation that puts audiences and communities first*, and it challenges *conventional thinking about the relationship between journalists and news consumers*.

Readers love to find in the newsletter *fresh perspective* they *don't get elsewhere*; discover *resources for thinking more deeply about \*why\* we do journalism*; and *keep up with what’s happening* in the field.

And don't just take it from me: every word in italics in the previous paragraphs is a direct quote from a 2025 reader survey.

---

[➡ BOOK NOW ⬅](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com?subject=I%20want%20to%20advertise%20in%20News%20Alchemists)

---

### Who reads the newsletter?

News Alchemists readers are people who believe that journalism urgently needs to reconnect with its audience, and who work tirelessly to achieve that goal, tackling the challenge from many different angles. They are editorial leaders and audience experts; growth managers and heads of community; product managers and CEOs; engagement reporters and impact editors.

**55%** of readers work in journalism organisations – whatever that means in 2026: from big national and international brands and public service media, to indie news outlets and 2-people newsrooms. 

**18%** work in the journalism support space (foundations, NGOs, consulting agencies, etc.); **12%** in other private companies across the information ecosystem; **6%** in universities and journalism schools; and another **9%** work independently as freelance journalists, strategists, and consultants.

**Geographic spread**: 51% Europe (of which 12% UK), 22% North America, 11% Latin America, 11% Asia-Pacific, 5% Africa.

## Format and Pricing

The main sponsor slot appears in a box right after the introduction, and before the seven links: the section of the newsletter that readers never want to miss.

- Only one sponsor per edition
- Clear positioning at the top
- Different format options (including callout message, longer text, image, and button)

**`Cost: £350 per edition.`**

(Discounts available if you sponsor multiple editions.)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/Sponsorship-Example.png)

Example of Sponsorship Ad

---

[Reserve your Sponsorship slot now](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com?subject=I%20want%20to%20advertise%20in%20News%20Alchemists)

---

### Past Sponsors

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/03/Go-1.png) 

[****PushPushGo**](https://pushpushgo.com/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Messaging platform for a seamless customer journey

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/pressekompass_net_logo.jpeg) 

[****Opinary**](https://opinary.com/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

We drive curiosity by asking the right questions.

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/house_of_kaizen_logo.jpeg) 

[****House of Kaizen**](https://www.houseofkaizen.com/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Net growth through subscriber experience optimization.
### Find clarity. Build confidently.
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/coaching/
Last updated: 2026-05-04T06:58:04.000Z
![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/1000x250-1.png)

Hi 👋 I’m [Mattia](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattia-peretti/?ref=newsalchemists.com), founder of News Alchemists, independent consultant, coach and facilitator.

**I'm passionate about helping independent creators, media startups, and small editorial teams understand themselves, their audience, and their purpose.**

I support people at the beginning of their journey, when the biggest questions are still unanswered: *Who am I really trying to serve? What makes my work distinct? How do I build something that reflects my values and actually sustains itself?*

My approach is simple: I don't pretend to have all the answers; I listen deeply, ask the right questions, and guide you toward clarity – so you can move forward with confidence. 

Whether you're launching or growing a newsletter, building a media project, or reimagining your editorial mission, I can help.

**Let's talk.** Click the big orange button to send me an email and find out how coaching might help you find the clarity you need.

[Get in Touch](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com)

## Testimonials

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/04/sarah.jpeg) 

When I saw that Mattia Peretti was looking to do some newsletter coaching, I was first in line. I hired him for three coaching sessions spread out over more than a month. ****He helped me set some realistic goals, structure my work and my newsletter more efficiently, and think through how to measure the things I hope to achieve.** Mattia is so lovely, organized, and full of knowledge, great ideas, and spreadsheet templates! 

**– Sarah Alvarez,* [**News Fix*](https://www.newsfix.blog/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/Hidayah.jpeg) 

Mattia is a compassionate and attentive coach. I signed up for a consultation and in 60 minutes, he listened and took notes about each of my 3 businesses; synthesised all the information; identified "that one thing" that connected all of them; ****advised me on how to use all that information to position my company—and my mission—for success**.

**– Hidayah Salamat,* [**Living Telling Media*](https://livingtelling.com/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/Giulia.jpeg) 

At **Facta*, we believe science journalism can help better inform the public debate. But how do we address the needs of the community we wish to serve? ****Mattia enabled us to reflect on this crucial question in an innovative, impactful way.** He’s passionate about his job, super nice, and genuinely interested. His approach can make a real difference.

**– Giulia Bonelli,* [**Facta.eu*](https://facta.eu/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/Patricia.png) 

I am forever grateful for the life changing 1-on-1 consultation we had last year. ****Thank you for helping me find and share my voice.** Power to new narratives!

**– Patricia Cronie,* [**Rare Media*](https://patriciacronie.com/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/Louis-2.png) 

The idea and mission for **Attention!* – make tech fun, make fun of tech – came together at Splice Beta last year, especially after ****Mattia** ****helped me identify the value I wanted to deliver to my audience**.

**– Louis Barclay,* [**Attention!*](https://directing.attention.to/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[Click here to get in touch](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com)
### Links, links, links!
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/links-archive/
Last updated: 2026-01-27T09:56:31.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### Let's work together!
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/lets-work-together/
Last updated: 2026-03-24T15:12:41.000Z
![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/1000x250-1.png)

Hi 👋 I’m [Mattia](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattia-peretti/?ref=newsalchemists.com), independent consultant and author of the News Alchemists newsletter.

**I help purpose-driven organisations understand themselves and build stronger relationships with their audiences.**

Over a decade supporting journalism organisations all across the world, I learned that they often struggle to build and grow a sustainable business because they **skip the fundamentals**:

- They are unclear on what **value** they want to create for their audience – and neglect to build a genuine **relationship** with them;
- They fail to **align** their strengths and culture with their purpose and the audience’s needs.

**I can help.** Not by pretending to have all the solutions: I listen deeply, ask the right questions, and guide you toward clarity – so you can move forward with confidence.

I enable you to come up with the approach that works *for you*.

## This is what I can do for you:

🪢

****Project Management** **.** You’re developing a complex, ambitious project – exciting and stressful in equal measure. I can help you design it and deliver it, by organising information effectively, supporting your people, and ensuring that everyone and everything is ****aligned towards success**.

💬

****Audience Research** **.** You can’t build a viable business if you’re not solving a community need. And you will not understand what that need is if you don’t talk with your community, understand what value you can create for their lives, and build a sense of ****complicity**. I will help you nurture that relationship.

🎢

****Learning Experience Design** **.** Do you need to design an online course or a training programme for your team or your community? I design learning experiences that people actually ****enjoy** and that build their confidence as much as their knowledge.

🤹

****Facilitation** **.** A community gathering around a cause; a team working on a project; a board facing a difficult decision; no matter what group conversation you’re in, skilful facilitation can make it feel less like a meeting to avoid and more like an occasion to strengthen relationships and ****learn together**.

By working with me, you're not only bringing my own skills and expertise to your team: you're tapping into a wide international network of experts and change-makers that I've cultivated throughout my 12-year career in journalism and media.

---

## 📩 Get in touch

Email me at [xhgmattia@gmail.com](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com), or message me on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattia-peretti/?ref=newsalchemists.com), and let’s discuss how we can work together on your next project!

---

## Testimonials

What previous clients have to say about me:

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/02/DM.png) 

[****Daily Maverick**](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

****Mattia is singularly the best project manager I have ever worked with**. Through his calm and considered approach, he will manage any project and deliver it on time and within budget. Even better, he’ll make the entire experience infinitely enjoyable. I simply cannot recommend him highly enough.

**– Fran Beighton, Daily Maverick's former Head of Growth*

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/02/Facta.png) 

[****Facta.eu**](https://facta.eu/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

At Facta, we believe science journalism can help better inform the public debate. But how do we address the needs of the community we wish to serve? ****Mattia enabled us to reflect on this crucial question in an innovative, impactful way.** He’s passionate about his job, super nice, and genuinely interested. His approach can make a real difference.

**– Giulia Bonelli, Science Journalist and Facta's co-founder*

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/02/Guardian.png) 

[****The Guardian**](https://www.theguardian.com/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Mattia consulted for the Guardian, just after the emergence of ChatGPT when we were trying to make sense of the implications of generative AI for the news industry in general and our organisation specifically. ****His clarity of mind, deep subject expertise and wider view of the media was crucial** in us adopting a principles-first approach and in the specific framing of our principles, the first published by a global news organisation. They have stood the test of time and guided our work ever since in this challenging space.

**– Chris Moran, Head of editorial innovation and AI at Guardian News & Media*

[Get in touch](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com)

---

## Sign up for News Alchemists

🧶 A weekly curation of links to make you think and give you hope about reimagining journalism and its role in society

Subscribe 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
### Workshops & Presentations
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/workshops-presentations/
Last updated: 2026-05-22T08:18:19.000Z
![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/01/1000x250-1.png)

Hi, I’m [Mattia](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattia-peretti/?ref=newsalchemists.com) 👋 I'm a learning experience designer and the writer of the *News Alchemists* newsletter.

**I believe that journalism isn’t the content we produce; it’s a service we provide.**

In an era of AI disruption, news avoidance, and fractured trust, the old "content-first" model simply doesn't cut it anymore. I advocate for **people-centric journalism**: an approach that starts by listening to the needs of your audience and building value *with* them rather than just *for* them. 

Whether you need practical tactics to help your team build deeper relationships with your audience, or high-level inspiration for the attendees of your conference, my workshops and presentations are exactly what you need.

### Here's what I can do for you:

- **Keynotes & Presentations:** High-energy talks (45–60 mins) for conferences or all-hands meetings. I share the philosophy of people-centricity, backed by global case studies, to spark a mindset shift in your audience or organisation.
- **Interactive Workshops:** Hands-on sessions (3+ hours) tailored to your specific needs. We’ll move from theory to practice, using ideation frameworks to help your team design concrete experiments and new revenue opportunities.

Every session I lead is designed to be **motivating and immediately actionable.** You won't just get a deck; you'll get the momentum your team needs to start pushing the envelope.

**Let’s design a session that fits your needs.**

---

## 📩 Get in touch

Email me at [xhgmattia@gmail.com](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com), or message me on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattia-peretti/?ref=newsalchemists.com).

---

## Testimonials

What people say about my workshops and presentations:

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/03/rappler.png) 

The workshop with ****Mattia showed my team what's possible** and how else we can push the envelope. 

****It was useful and validating** to see how other newsrooms are pursuing people-centric strategies and creating real value for their community. While no one has cracked the code to membership models and making service journalism sustainable, ****workshops like this one keep the passion for experimenting going**, and that's what journalism needs at this time.

**– Pia Ranada, Rappler's Head of Community \[Apr. '26\]*

![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/02/DM.png) 

Daily Maverick has been on a journey to reposition impact as our organisational North Star, and getting a newsroom of independent-minded journalists to genuinely engage with that framing has not been easy. ****Mattia's workshop helped land ideas and shift conversations** we hadn't managed to move through our internal initiatives.

He was intentional in his preparation, speaking with senior team members beforehand to understand our context, then weaving it directly into his presentation. Having the ****session built around our own stories and struggles** is what made it land.

Mattia also delivered some hard truths. Most notably, that journalism's working theory of change is naive. He created a safe space for our team to engage with those uncomfortable ideas. There were some sharp challenges from the floor, and Mattia handled all of it with confidence and intellectual honesty. ****If you're trying to shift how a newsroom thinks**, an external voice can make all the difference, and Mattia is a good one.

**– Kathryn Kotze, Daily Maverick's Head of Operations \[Aug '25\]*

[Click Here to Book your Dose of People-Centricity](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com)
## Posts
### 🔶 #77: A global report on impact in journalism
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-77/
Last updated: 2026-08-04T08:46:51.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #76: "How much does newsletter design really matter?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-76/
Last updated: 2026-07-30T17:16:17.000Z
I guess it depends on what we mean by 'design'.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #75: How to create an impact culture in your newsroom
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-75/
Last updated: 2026-07-22T08:01:00.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #74: "What does it mean to be indispensable to audiences in the age of AI?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-74/
Last updated: 2026-07-27T13:41:04.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #73: "What kind of stories are best at turning local news readers into subscribers?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-73/
Last updated: 2026-07-07T17:11:25.000Z
It’s hard news, not the soft stuff.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #72: A free society requires journalists to work like scientists, not artists
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-72/
Last updated: 2026-06-30T06:20:04.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #71: This is not a list of AI capabilities – these are audience needs.
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-71/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T19:46:14.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #70: What I'm looking out for in the Digital News Report
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-70/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T19:45:45.000Z
...which is out today!

_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #69: The hive mind that started it all
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-69/
Last updated: 2026-06-10T13:43:05.000Z
And: Sign-ups still open for 'Your impact questions answered'

_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #68: Your impact questions answered
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-68/
Last updated: 2026-06-22T15:19:25.000Z
And: innovative Latin American newsrooms I met in Rio.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #67: "Building trust begins by listening."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-67/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T13:39:29.000Z
A 4-digit number and a small ask.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #66: "Affiliation, not just access"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-66/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T07:24:54.000Z
On belonging, trust, and participation.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #65: Seven interesting media outlets you might not have heard of.
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-65/
Last updated: 2026-05-14T09:11:42.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #64: "The time waste economy – why media companies need to rethink value"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-64/
Last updated: 2026-04-30T07:02:03.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #63: The Circulator Model
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-63/
Last updated: 2026-04-27T10:37:30.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #62: "News companies should rethink newsrooms instead of hiring content creators"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-62/
Last updated: 2026-04-16T09:53:50.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #61: "Audience engagement is business sustainability: strategies for success"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-61/
Last updated: 2026-04-09T09:14:39.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #60: This is a newsletter about money.
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-60/
Last updated: 2026-04-27T10:38:04.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #59: "Introducing a simple framework to boost the impact of your journalism"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-59/
Last updated: 2026-04-27T10:37:41.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #58: Wait, is journalism in Europe actually thriving?
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-58/
Last updated: 2026-03-24T09:14:49.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #57: "How many subscribers did you call this week?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-57/
Last updated: 2026-03-03T20:29:08.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 7 things I learned from writing a weekly newsletter for one year
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/seven-things-i-learned/
Last updated: 2026-07-22T08:01:26.000Z
For a little over one year, I've been writing the [News Alchemists](https://www.newsalchemists.com/#/portal/signup) newsletter, a curation of links to make you think and give you hope about reimagining journalism in a people-centric direction.

It's been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.

In this post, I share 7 things I've learned so far.

### 1️⃣ You need to make it easy. Like, *very* easy.

About a decade ago, I spent six months in Southeast Asia on a solo backpacking trip. I decided to write a blog to document the adventure, and I was very committed. 

I wrote five posts before the trip even started. Then one post per week in the first month or so. Then the frequency quickly faded as the trip went on, and in the last two months I wrote only once.

Five years later I decided to quit a job without a new one lined up, and what did I do? I started a newsletter to talk about it, of course. But mindful of the blogging experience, I set out to outsmart myself: no long-term commitment I won't be able to maintain, I'm only going to write this newsletter for twelve weeks. 

Couldn't even do that. After just four weeks, I couldn't keep up with the every-other-week rhythm. Nine editions in, I stopped writing altogether.

Fast forward to February 2025, when I decided to start writing the News Alchemists newsletter. I knew one thing: if I don't make it easy on myself, this is not going to last. 

I needed to 'template it' to avoid staring every week at a blank canvas. Enter the "seven links to make you think and give you hope" format, which makes starting the writing process feel more like a drag-and-drop exercise, bypassing the blank canvas fear entirely.

How do I know it worked? To my amazement, I have not skipped a single week yet, except for when I took time off from work.

In an ultimate exercise of vulnerability (considering that I am more than mildly ashamed of the quality of my writing at the time), I will share the links to the aforementioned travel blog and career-break newsletter with the first five people who ask for them. 🫣

[Send me those links, you coward! ](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com) 

### 2️⃣ Numbers lie. All the time.

I am a data nerd. I have spreadsheets for everything. The books I read. My finances. How my body weight changes day after day. (I know, it's weird.)

No surprise then that I run my newsletter's operations mostly through a spreadsheet that currently has... \[counting\]... \[still counting\]... *twenty-four* different tabs.

Of those tabs, the one I spend most time looking at and updating is all about the analytics: open rates, click rates, click-to-open rates, number of new subscribers, how many people unsubscribe, etc.

And yet that's exactly the tab that lies to me most often.

**Take open rates**: they are generally understood to be unreliable because of a mix of privacy and security factors that contribute to somehow overestimating and underestimating open rates at the same time. 

Example: readers who allegedly click on links in your email... without even opening said email.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.50.13.png)

The open rate of this reader? 0%

And if readers use a tool like Readwise, good luck to you. No matter how many emails they're opening, the open rate is always 0%:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/03/readwise-1.png)

How about click rates, you ask? Exaggerated by bots clicking on *every single link* as soon as the newsletter lands in someone's inbox.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.54.02-1.png)

This is my favourite one: 161% of readers clicked on that link.

Even growth numbers lie in their own way.

I've been saying for over two months that I am at "almost 1,000 subscribers". What's happening? Is nobody signing up for my newsletter anymore? 

Nop. It's just that Ghost (the CMS I use to send the newsletter) becomes more expensive once you cross the 1,000 threshold, so I started cleaning the mailing list more aggressively. What would be the point of paying extra for inactive subscribers who haven't opened any emails in over twelve months? 

Makes sense, right? And yet *it looks like* the newsletter has stopped growing, which can be detrimental when trying to attract advertisers.

The moral of the story is: whether you're writing a newsletter or following someone who does, take numbers with a pinch of salt. Focus instead on the quality of the content, on the engagement with readers, and on the value the newsletter creates for the people who read it and engage with it.

### 3️⃣ There's so much more to do than "writing it"

The title I gave to this article is a little misleading: the actual *writing* amounts to no more than 40% of the time I spend on the newsletter. The other 60% includes:

- Researching and saving stuff to include in the newsletter;
- Monitoring its performance in the CMS;
- Promoting the newsletter on social media (mostly LinkedIn) and other channels;
- Reading about new trends, tools, and strategies to grow and optimise newsletters;
- Looking for sponsors and advertisers ([Is that you?](https://www.newsalchemists.com/advertise/));
- Keeping the newsletter's website clean and tidy;
- Constantly optimising the infrastructure that powers the newsletter behind the scenes;
- And so. Much. More.

The most time-consuming aspect about ~~writing a newsletter~~ running a newsletter business though? Engaging with readers. And yet...

### 4️⃣ There is no such thing as too much interaction with your readers.

I decided from the beginning that I didn't want to just write and send into the void. A newsletter that advocates for being more people-centric can only succeed by *being* people-centric. 

I wanted to get to know my readers, talk to them, learn how the newsletter could be helpful to them. I wrote that this is the most time-consuming thing I do, but it's also the most rewarding one.

I get frequent positive feedback that encourages me to keep going. I uncover needs I would have never been able to identify by myself. I get so many ideas for things I could do to improve the newsletter – or for services I could *add to* the newsletter, [such as coaching](https://www.newsalchemists.com/coaching/) – that I end up feeling frustrated for not having enough time for all of them. That's a great problem to have!

But interactions with readers rarely just *happen* – although it's wonderful when they do. I learned that it's important to be intentional about initiating them. For example:

**I send an email to all new readers when they subscribe.** I introduce them to the newsletter and ask them what made them want to sign up. One in four people replies back, and their messages are always kind and insightful:

> *It is not very common to come across a* hopeful *newsletter, so I thought I might want to receive that dose of hope once a week.*

> *I am currently working on relaunching my own environmental newsletter following a break, and looking to get inspiration about how to do it well.*

> *I was at a dinner with fellow journalists who are thinking differently from the mainstream, and they said I should be following your newsletter. So here I am.*

**I email readers when I notice inactive accounts**, or readers who signed up with multiple accounts. Boring housekeeping on the surface, but even those trigger wholesome interactions and deepen engagement:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-12.42.51.png)

**And I message readers when they unsubscribe**, which often results in a valuable reminder that people's circumstances change and information overload is real:

> *Thank you for reaching out, I have appreciated the personal connection you have extended to your subscribers. I originally subscribed because I was interested in learning more about the future of journalism, especially independent, reader-supported journalism. But unfortunately, I can't keep up with all of the newsletters in my inbox, so time to make cuts.*

> *I’m doing quite a bit of a clean-up of my inbox and all the newsletters I’m subscribed to at the moment, as I’m shifting my focus, both themes and geographies. The idea is to be more intentional about what lands in my email.*

Nothing like interacting with people to keep you people-centred 🙃

Engaging with your readers is not time *consumed* but time *invested*. It pays off.

### 5️⃣ These three things bring in new subscribers more than anything else.

Look, the apparent stagnation of my audience's growth that I mentioned in the second lesson might be artificial, but this is not to say that growth is easy. It's not.

On average, I gain 11 new subscribers per week. That's net growth: new subscribers minus lost ones (unsubscribes, disabled accounts, or accounts I delete for lack of engagement after a fair warning). 

Eleven is the average but growth is not even. Organic growth is especially slow, while three things contribute more than anything else to bring in new subscribers:

1. When I give a talk at a conference – even better if IRL – or a workshop for a newsroom ([reach out](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com) if you're interested in one);
2. Someone – a reader or anyone else – recommends my newsletter to their audience or network, encouraging people to sign up;
3. And most of all, when I publish what in marketing jargon is called a 'lead magnet': a piece of content or a product that makes more people find out about the newsletter and entice them to subscribe. For example, this 'Freelance Year in Review' I published in January:

[🔶 2025 Freelance Year in Review2025 was my first full year working freelance. It was... quite a ride. This post is a reflection on how things went and what my goals are for 2026\. I also share a breakdown of the revenue I made in 2025 – because we don’t talk enough about money, and we![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/icon/New-Alchemists_Slack-Icon-2-19.png)News AlchemistsMattia Peretti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/thumbnail/Tate-Britain-3.jpg)](https://www.newsalchemists.com/2025-freelance-year-in-review/)

Notice the irony / structural issue here: to grow the audience of the newsletter you write, you end up spending a lot of time writing... something else.

Less impactful in quantitative terms but incredibly rewarding: when someone subscribes because an existing reader told them to do so 🫶

****Tell me:** What else were you hoping to see in this post? What would you like me to share in the next what-I've-learned article?

[Here's what I'm curious about... ](mailto:xhgmattia@gmail.com) 

### 6️⃣ Monetisation is very hard. (Shocker, I know.)

In the lead-magnet piece that I just mentioned, I wrote that the newsletter accounted for 5% of the revenue I made in 2025 as an [independent consultant](https://www.newsalchemists.com/lets-work-together/), writer and coach – through sponsorships, readers' donations, and speaking engagements.

I wasn't expecting to make *any* money with the newsletter in its first year so that's great. But it also shows how hard it is to monetise this work:

- Only 7 editions out of the 56 I sent so far had a sponsor – that's just 13% – and this year I haven't managed to find one yet.
- The donations campaign I run last December went quite well, raising more money than I expected. But donations came from only 18 of the almost 900 subscribers I had when the campaign launched. That's just 2%. *(If you're one of those 18 people, this is a good occasion to remind you how much your donation meant to me. Thank you.)*
- Across 10 months last year (the newsletter started in late February), this work led to only 3 paid speaking engagements – essentially one per quarter.

Don't take any of the above as a complaint. I'm very grateful to sponsors, readers who made a donation, and readers who trusted me to have something interesting to share with their colleagues or audiences. It's on me to grow those numbers by improving the newsletter and all other News Alchemists products and services.

If I'm sharing this, it's to show that the economics of running an independent newsletter business are challenging, no matter how much time and effort you put into it. 

Sure, someone makes it and turns a newsletter into a media empire (not that that's my goal). Just don't fall into the trap of thinking that because *they* made it, you *should* make it too and you're failing if you don't.

### 7️⃣ Readers write your best marketing copy. You just need to ask them.

And if I didn't make it abundantly clear already that my readers are awesome: they write the best marketing copy too.

In a reader survey I shared last year ([yes, it' still open!](https://forms.gle/cAwuozzAxDcjqsEdA?ref=newsalchemists.com)), I asked readers how they would describe what the News Alchemists newsletter is about. Their answers have shaped how I talk about it ever since:

> **A friend who challenges my most conventional thinking* about the relationship between news/journalists and the audience of news consumers.*

> **Imagining and celebrating* the news innovations that put audiences and communities first*

> *Best practices and insights on how journalists are thinking (and need to think) about audiences, information needs and impact in different ways, *provoking good conversations for me and my organization*.*

> *A guide to journalism innovators who are *creating a better news ecosystem*.*

> *Reimagining a future for journalism that looks at *audiences as a core part of its mission* and community, not “just” as consumers.*

Yes, my readers are the best. 🧡

---

## How you can help News Alchemists grow – a recap:

📢 [****Sponsor**](https://www.newsalchemists.com/advertise/) the newsletter, or advertise your services through a classified ad.

🌱 [****Let me coach you**](https://www.newsalchemists.com/coaching/): I'll help you find clarity and build your media product with confidence.

🙋‍♂️ [****Hire me**](https://www.newsalchemists.com/lets-work-together/) to work on your team's next big project. I'm currently looking for a 2-3 day/week consulting engagement over several months. I can help with project management, audience research, facilitation, and learning design. The consulting I do directly supports the sustainability of the newsletter.

🔝 [****Share the newsletter**](https://www.newsalchemists.com/) with anyone you think might enjoy it – or forward them this article!

---

### Wait, you are not subscribed to the News Alchemists newsletter yet..?

[➡ SIGN UP NOW ⬅](https://www.newsalchemists.com/#/portal/signup)

---
### 🔶 #56: "Journalism career breaks: When, how and why to take one"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-56/
Last updated: 2026-02-24T12:14:21.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #55: One year of people-centricity
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-55/
Last updated: 2026-08-03T14:48:03.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #54: "What does ‘audience value’ mean to local news professionals?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-54/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T09:09:31.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #53: "Anticipating the audiences of 2030 and the strategies to meet them"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-53/
Last updated: 2026-02-05T11:52:44.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #52: "Better engagement is about better habits, not more creative ideas."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-52/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T09:46:03.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #51: "Five things effective subscriptions leaders do"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-51/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:05:19.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #50: RISJ's Trends & Predictions. What else?
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-50/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:06:04.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 2025 Freelance Year in Review
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/2025-freelance-year-in-review/
Last updated: 2026-03-27T09:17:31.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #49: "Make me feel something"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-49/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:06:43.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #48: We finally understand that journalism is about the journey, not the destination.
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-48/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:07:10.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #47: "How Uusi Juttu added 10,000 paying members in three weeks"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-47/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:07:37.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #46: "What actually makes for a *good* news experience?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-46/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:08:15.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #45: How can journalism become more people-centric?
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-45/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:08:45.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #44: "Should journalists try to make change in the world?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-44/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:09:13.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #43: "We often underestimate how much readers appreciate being treated like humans."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-43/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:09:44.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #42: "Models for sustainability. Proven tactics, strategies... and an aspiration"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-42/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:10:14.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #41: "A system for mapping, curating, and distributing civic information at scale."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-41/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:10:50.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #40: "How these news outlets cater to marginalised audiences"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-40/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:11:26.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #39: "Closing the gap with readers: an end to business as usual in journalism"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-39/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:11:50.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #38: "What two researchers found in a yearlong quest for journalism innovation"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-38/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:12:38.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #37: "What is so essential about news?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-37/
Last updated: 2026-03-17T09:32:08.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #36: "Ten commandments of independent publishing"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-36/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:13:46.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #35: "Walking tours for community engagement"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-35/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:14:19.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #34: People-centric journalism = Change-centric journalism
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-34/
Last updated: 2026-08-03T14:46:04.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #33: Can one collaborative document turn into a space to debate the purpose of journalism?
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-33/
Last updated: 2026-02-26T15:23:28.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #32: "Change-Centric Journalism: reframing the value proposition of news for the AI age"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-32/
Last updated: 2026-02-26T15:23:41.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #31: "Journalism needs a rebrand"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-31/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T21:16:28.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #30: "A newsroom that listens"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-30/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T12:14:58.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #29: "What if news avoiders are right, and you don’t need journalism?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-29/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T12:15:42.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 Six months in: On losing your way and reconnecting to your motivation
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/six-months-in-on-losing-your-way-and-reconnecting-to-your-motivation/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T12:16:32.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #28: "Start with service: A practical reset for media impact"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-28/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T12:17:14.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #27: "Mission before monetization: Growth rooted in purpose"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-27/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T12:18:37.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #26: Hope is a strategy.
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-26/
Last updated: 2026-02-17T22:50:17.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #25: "Why we need networked journalism in an age of complexity and uncertainty"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-25/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T12:20:20.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #24: "You are not here to save journalism. You are here to redefine it."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-24/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T12:20:55.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #23: "When journalism chooses people over content"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-23/
Last updated: 2026-02-17T22:51:00.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #22: "What if the future of local journalism was more playful?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-22/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T12:23:16.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #21: "What is news?" + A special offer.
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-21/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T12:23:58.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #20: "Why create a need when you can meet a need?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-20/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:48:19.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #19: "Local journalism is in the wrong business"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-19/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:48:49.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #18: "So how do brands stop faking community and actually earn it?"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-18/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:49:33.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #17: "What if journalism was a place you could walk into again?”
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-17/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:50:16.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #16: "I'm never going to trust your news organization"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-16/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:50:50.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #15 | Perugia panels edition
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-15/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:51:30.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #14: "Stop pretending journalism matters on its own"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-14/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:51:51.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #13: "The Public Value Method: redefining how to measure journalism's value"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-13/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:52:21.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #12: "The main problem with journalism isn't AI or digital transformation, it's its relevance gap."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-12/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:52:49.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #11: "We must embrace the next generation of news consumers and creators"
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-11/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:53:08.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #10: "What audiences really want: For journalists to connect with them as people."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-10/
Last updated: 2026-01-29T16:53:31.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #09: "How journalism can win hearts and minds again."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-9/
Last updated: 2026-03-11T21:04:22.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #08: "Are you a journalist? You might be the product designer your users need."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-8/
Last updated: 2026-03-11T21:04:47.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 News Alchemists 7x7. My 7 favourite links from the first 7 editions
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/7x7-special/
Last updated: 2026-02-17T22:51:54.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 🔶 #07: "The future of journalism isn't AI. It's the audience."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-7/
Last updated: 2026-01-26T21:33:17.000Z
Hello and welcome to the first official edition of the **News Alchemists Newsletter**!

My name is [Mattia](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattia-peretti/?ref=newsalchemists.com), and you're receiving this email because some time between last June and last week you signed up to receive updates about [News Alchemists](https://www.newsalchemists.com/about/), or you subscribed to this newsletter after reading about it [on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mattia-peretti%5Fsign-up-for-the-news-alchemists-newsletter-activity-7292482024173408257-6Nkl?ref=newsalchemists.com).

Every week, I send **a curation of 7 links** that I hope will make you think – and most importantly give you hope – about redefining journalism and its role in society. 📚

You asked to receive this newsletter, so you already know why this 'redefinition' is important and urgent. But if you want a reminder, take five minutes to read this article I wrote three weeks ago: [The year we redefine our relationship with audiences and our role in society](https://ijnet.org/en/story/year-we-redefine-our-relationship-audiences-and-our-role-society?ref=newsalchemists.com).

Let me stop this introduction here so we can move on to the 7 links. But keep reading after the links if you want to:

1. Learn more about News Alchemists and about this newsletter – including why the headline says #7 even if I wrote that it's the *first* edition 😅
2. Get a couple of tips on how to make the most of this newsletter 🧩 🧞
3. Tell me what you think of this newsletter and what I can do to help you, and to make you feel more hopeful about journalism and its role in society.

Onto today's curation:

---

### 1\. The future of journalism isn't AI. It's the audience. And it always has been. 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adrianalacy%5Fthe-future-of-journalism-isnt-ai-its-activity-7295086233804828672-xy-z?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Brilliant post by 🧞[Adriana Lacy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianalacy?ref=newsalchemists.com). So good that four people tagged me in the comments or sent it to me via DM 😅. (Mayra was the first one. Thank you, Mayra!) One-line truth bomb: "*The crisis in journalism isn't a technology problem, it's a relationship problem.*"

### 2\. Inside The Kyiv Independent’s membership model 👉 [LINK](https://theaudiencers.com/inside-the-kyiv-independents-membership-model/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

"*Launched in November 2021, 🧩* [The Kyiv Independent](https://kyivindependent.com/about/?ref=newsalchemists.com) *is Ukraine’s fastest-growing English-language media outlet. Today, with a community-focused membership model, 70% of revenue comes directly from reader support."* (Editor's note: ‼️) By 🧞[Madeleine White](https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeleinewhite123/?ref=newsalchemists.com) on The Audiencers. 

### 3\. If you have more than three priorities, you don’t have any. 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lucykueng%5Fdigitalnews-media-activity-7292823395413487616-uZ6x?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Lucy Küng](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucykueng/?ref=newsalchemists.com) asked on LinkedIn: "*What is the single top strategic priority for news organisations now? Growth (how to hit targets) or Culture (shifting mindset)?*" The conversation that developed in the comments is can't-miss stuff.

## Sign up for the News Alchemists newsletter

🧶 🧶 A weekly curation of reads that will make you think and give you hope about the future of journalism and its role in our lives.

Sign up 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

### 4\. Thoughts on this moment and research on how people share news 👉 [LINK](https://www.pboehler.net/13-sharing-motivations/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Re:filtered by 🧞[Patrick Boehler](https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickboehler/?ref=newsalchemists.com) is one of my favourite newsletters, and I know I will end up sharing it often. This edition shows why: "*For too long, it was enough to deliver grandiose narratives rather than developing validated services that directly benefit people. \[…\] we need to come to terms with the fact that random publishing doesn't achieve much, and rebuild from there, with intention.*"

### 5\. SPACES, a hyperlocal social network built to transform local news and social media in Canada 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jeff-elgie%5Fspaces-at-sootodaycom-activity-7293005923466256384-coXg?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Jeff Elgie](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-elgie?ref=newsalchemists.com), CEO of 🧩 [Village Media](https://www.villagemedia.ca/?ref=newsalchemists.com): "*What we’re seeing is a real community movement taking shape. Discussions are hyperlocal, civil, and not toxic—with near-zero moderation required. People are engaging in meaningful, place-based conversations. Local businesses, experts, and organizations are connecting in ways that add real value.*"

### 6\. Journalism has many roles. It’s time to embrace the role of convener. 👉 [LINK](https://americanpressinstitute.org/journalism-has-many-roles-its-time-to-embrace-the-role-of-convener/?ref=newsalchemists.com) 

The American Press Institute challenges us to think of media as "*a force for social connection, a convener of people across differences and a facilitator for what to do after the facts are laid bare.*"

### 7\. News must evolve 👉 [LINK](https://www.newsfutures.org/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Last week saw the launch of News Futures, "*a collective of people, ideas, and spaces focused on building a participatory and networked future for local news.*" The initiative is very U.S.-focused, but the purpose and principles are applicable at a global level and worth checking out.

---

[Want more? 📚 Check out the previous editions](https://www.newsalchemists.com/)

---

### About News Alchemists and this newsletter

News Alchemists is a project I started last year, during a fellowship with the International Center for Journalists. I gathered some of the brightest minds in my network, and we met regularly over nine months to reflect on what our industry needs to do to heal the broken relationship between journalism and the people we aim to serve.

The challenge can be daunting, as there are no easy fixes. But I believe we *can* succeed if we stay hopeful, nurture our sense of purpose, and learn from one another. That's what gave me the idea of creating this newsletter, as I explain in more detail [here](https://www.newsalchemists.com/about/). 

For a few weeks, I tested the idea on LinkedIn, asking people there if they were interested in receiving a curation of links like these directly in their inbox. Their answer – *your* answer! – was loud and clear:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/f3/82f371f9-1869-4f63-8250-33a6ab658986/content/images/2025/02/Yes-please.jpg)

So, after six posts on LinkedIn, you are now reading the 7th edition 😉

### Making the most of this newsletter

Raise your hand if you like a treasure hunt 🙋 I hope you did because in these emails the links that are worthy of your attention are more than seven:

When you see this emoji 🧩 before the name of an organisation, check them out. They are amazing orgs I want to highlight because their success provides a piece of the puzzle (*see what I did there?*), showing that it's possible to build sustainable journalism that creates value for people. 

And when you see a 🧞genie before the name of a person? Click on the name and follow their work. That's someone we can all learn a lot from. 

### Wanna tell me what you like and don't like about the newsletter?

Do it, please! I love all kinds of feedback: what you like, so I can do more of it; what you don't, so I can do *less* of that; or any other suggestion to make this newsletter more useful and more accessible:

- Hit the like button at the end of this post, or click on **`Comment`** to leave a public note;
- If you are reading this in your inbox, just hit **`Reply`** and message me directly. I'd love to hear your thoughts and also any recommendations for interesting links I should include in the following edition.
- If you like what you read, share this post on your social media of choice and encourage more people to sign up!

See you next week! 👋

---

📸 The header image is not connected to the content of the newsletter. Just a photo taken by me to add a little colour.
### 🔶 #06: "The future of media lies in building real emotional connections."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-6/
Last updated: 2025-12-16T20:42:09.000Z
> *This post was originally published* [*on LinkedIn*](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mattia-peretti%5Fsign-up-for-the-news-alchemists-newsletter-activity-7292482024173408257-6Nkl?ref=newsalchemists.com)*.*

Since December, I've been sharing lists of links that speak to the urgent need to change journalism in a more people-centric direction, to heal the broken relationship between our industry and the people we aim to serve. Readings about audience, community, change management, and sustainability that make me think, and give me hope 📚

By popular demand, this is soon becoming a newsletter: the News Alchemists Newsletter. Do you want to receive the curation of links in your inbox when it starts in a few weeks? Leave your contact through [this temporary form](https://forms.gle/32EuR2J7J6SEAzmAA?ref=newsalchemists.com) – while I work on setting things up on Ghost.

Onto today's curation:

### 1\. The year we redefine our relationship with audiences and our role in society 👉 [LINK](https://ijnet.org/en/story/year-we-redefine-our-relationship-audiences-and-our-role-society?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Textbook example of shameless plug: starting the list with my last article for IJNet. Jokes aside, you should read it. It's very good 😇 

### 2\. Community-led listening project offers solutions to journalism’s biggest challenges 👉 [LINK](https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/community-led-listening-project-offers-solutions-to-journalism-s-biggest-challenges/s2/a1215478/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Can't-miss report by Media Cymru and 🧞[Shirish Kulkarni](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirish-kulkarni-9a56b751/?ref=newsalchemists.com). (I mean it, don't miss it.)

### 3\. How different generations perceive and interact with diverse perspectives in the news 👉 [LINK](https://www.inlabnews.com/post/news-perspectives?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Another can't-miss report, by the fabulous IN/LAB team at Schibsted, led by 🧞[Agnes Stenbom](https://www.linkedin.com/in/agnes-stenbom/?ref=newsalchemists.com).

## Sign up for the News Alchemists newsletter

🧶 🧶 A weekly curation of reads that will make you think and give you hope about the future of journalism and its role in our lives.

Sign up 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

### 4\. Slovakia’s Denník N’s bold campaign brought 10,000 new subscribers in just four days 👉 [LINK](https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/slovakia-s-dennik-n-s-bold-campaign-brought-10-000-new-subscribers-in-just-four-days/s2/a1215539/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Inspiring results from 🧩 [Denník N](https://dennikn.sk/?ref=newsalchemists.com) in Slovakia. By Marcela Kunova on journalism.co.uk.

### 5\. Listening to innovate: Information needs and how to meet them 👉 [LINK](https://dicktofel.substack.com/p/listening-to-innovate-a-conversation)

Fantastic interview with 🧞[Sarah Alvarez](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-alvarez-6b1289122/?ref=newsalchemists.com) on Richard Tofel's Second Rough Draft newsletter.

### 6\. The future of media lies in building real emotional connections 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-media-lies-building-real-emotional-connections-mili-semlani-1wfvf/?ref=newsalchemists.com) 

Wise words by 🧞[Mili Semlani](https://www.linkedin.com/in/milisemlani/?ref=newsalchemists.com) on LinkedIn.

### 7\. Head of Future Audiences Monetization isn’t just a title; it’s a mission 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/liesbeth-nizet-7567b25%5Ffutureaudiences-journalismmatters-youthquake-activity-7290271795578855424-vjeb/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Great post by 🧞[Liesbeth Nizet](https://www.linkedin.com/in/liesbeth-nizet-7567b25/?ref=newsalchemists.com) on LinkedIn.

---

[Want more? 📚 Check out the previous editions](https://www.newsalchemists.com/)

---

📸 The header image is not connected to the content of the newsletter. Just a photo taken by me to add a little colour.
### 🔶 #05: "Maybe more isn't better. Maybe deeper is better."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-5/
Last updated: 2026-01-26T21:32:29.000Z
> *This post was originally published* [*on LinkedIn*](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mattia-peretti%5Fnewsalchemists-change-journalism-activity-7288121467282558982-EKiU?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop)*.*

5th edition of the News Alchemists newsletter-in-the-making, in which I share 7 readings about change in journalism – and about audience, community and sustainability – that made me think and gave me hope 📚 

Because journalism needs to change if we want to heal the broken relationship between our industry and the people we aim to serve – a challenge that will be less daunting if we face it together and learn from one another. 

### 1\. Let's think about user needs in community 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/larskjensen%5Fuserneeds-community-communities-activity-7285922492471255041-JjTJ?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAABP796MBPxdktcBxQPhOJ07llvlGwocrDLo)

By 🧞[Lars K Jensen](https://productsinpublishing.com/about/?ref=newsalchemists.com). (Don't stop at the post: there's gold in the comments.)

### 2\. Could we give audiences a different entry point into a news story? 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sannutaraghu%5Fcould-we-give-audiences-a-different-activity-7284914436551700481--nUi?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAABP796MBPxdktcBxQPhOJ07llvlGwocrDLo)

By 🧞[Sannuta Raghu](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sannutaraghu/?ref=newsalchemists.com) of 🧩 [Scroll.in](https://scroll.in/?ref=newsalchemists.com).

### 3\. Maybe more isn’t better. Maybe deeper is better. 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/idampersson%5Fdesignshift-socialimpact-designforgood-activity-7284920954013552641-omLg?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAABP796MBPxdktcBxQPhOJ07llvlGwocrDLo)

The post is not about journalism but made me think: What does “deeper is better” mean for us? How do we use the idea of "critical connections" to catalyse our work towards positive change?

## Sign up for the News Alchemists newsletter

🧶 🧶 A weekly curation of reads that will make you think and give you hope about the future of journalism and its role in our lives.

Sign up 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

### 4\. Breaking old habits 👉 [LINK](https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/12/breaking-old-habits/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Andrea Faye Hart](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-faye-hart-b0a245a/?ref=newsalchemists.com)'s 2025 Prediction for Nieman Journalism Lab

### 5\. The content designer's checklist 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adooling%5Fi-love-this-tongue-in-cheek-checklist-from-activity-7279543679185293312-dkAA/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Shared by 🧞[Annemarie Dooling](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adooling/?ref=newsalchemists.com) / found through 🧞[Rishad Patel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishadpatel/?ref=newsalchemists.com)'s Splice Frames newsletter (Do yourself a favour and [sign up now](https://splicemedia.com/frames?ref=newsalchemists.com).)

### 6\. Beyond the splash: measuring impact in a changing world 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/beyond-splash-measuring-impact-changing-world-dr-carmen-nicoara--guntf/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

By 🧞[Carmen Nicoara](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmennicoara/?ref=newsalchemists.com) of Syli

### 7\. Insights into journalism and advice for student reporters heading into 2025, from ICFJ Knight Fellows 👉 [LINK](https://ijnet.org/en/story/insights-journalism-and-advice-student-reporters-heading-2025-icfj-knight-fellows?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Collected by IJNet: ❝*This year, \[we have the opportunity\] to demonstrate that journalism, as a public service, can also be a sustainable business.*❞ – 🧞[José Jasán Nieves](https://www.linkedin.com/in/josjnieves/?ref=newsalchemists.com) of 🧩 [elTOQUE](https://eltoque.com/?ref=newsalchemists.com). 

---

[Want more? 📚 Check out the previous editions](https://www.newsalchemists.com/)

---

📸 The header image is not connected to the content of the newsletter. Just a photo taken by me to add a little colour.

[ ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmennicoara/?ref=newsalchemists.com)
### 🔶 #04: "It's time to reimagine who a journalist can be."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-4/
Last updated: 2026-01-26T21:32:05.000Z
> *This post was originally published* [*on LinkedIn*](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mattia-peretti%5Fjournalism-change-audience-activity-7284849252604792834-pnRe?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop)*.*

2025 will be a big test for journalism. 

We need to change if we want to heal the broken relationship between our industry and the people we aim to serve. It's not going to be easy, but I believe we can do it if we stay hopeful, nurture our sense of purpose, and learn from one another. 

That's why I plan to keep sharing throughout the year readings about change, about audience, community and sustainability that make me think, and give me hope 📚 Here's Round Four:

### 1\. The Texas Tribune Turns To IRL Events, Local Newsrooms To Reach New Readers 👉 [LINK](https://www.amediaoperator.com/news/the-texas-tribune-turns-to-irl-events-local-newsrooms-to-reach-new-readers/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧩 [The Texas Tribune](https://www.texastribune.org/?ref=newsalchemists.com) showing the way. On A Media Monitor: "*One of the major problems of the internet is it dehumanizes the pageview. Executives get so obsessed with how many people are reading that they forget each and every one of them is a person.*"

### 2\. It's time to reimagine who a journalist can be. 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/carlazanoni%5Fits-time-to-reimagine-who-a-journalist-can-activity-7272067618570649601-dA0p?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAABP796MBPxdktcBxQPhOJ07llvlGwocrDLo)

Great post by 🧞[Carla Zanoni](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlazanoni/?ref=newsalchemists.com) of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.

### 3\. News products have the chance to get so much better. But it’ll take a lot of change – including in newsrooms 👉 [LINK](https://newsproduct.org/blog/news-products-have-the-chance-to-get-so-much-better?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Opinion piece by 🧞[Michaël Jarjour](https://www.linkedin.com/in/micha%C3%ABl-jarjour/?ref=newsalchemists.com) for the News Product Alliance (April 2024)

## Sign up for the News Alchemists newsletter

🧶 🧶 A weekly curation of reads that will make you think and give you hope about the future of journalism and its role in our lives.

Sign up 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

### 4\. In 2024 Zetland Media grew revenues by ≈40%, and we're now at ≈$9M. 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tavklitgaard%5Fin-2024-zetland-media-grew-revenues-by-40-activity-7282301822826934274-s8D0?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAABP796MBPxdktcBxQPhOJ07llvlGwocrDLo)

🧞[Tav Klitgaard](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tavklitgaard/?ref=newsalchemists.com) & 🧞[Lea Korsgaard](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-korsgaard-27728196/?ref=newsalchemists.com) giving us proof that good journalism that creates value for people's lives CAN be sustainable. Thank you, 🧩 [Zetland](https://www.zetland.dk/aboutzetland?ref=newsalchemists.com).

### 5\. The new rules of media 👉 [LINK](https://onethingnewsletter.substack.com/p/the-new-rules-of-media)

🧞[Kyle Chayka](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-chayka-8b111917/?ref=newsalchemists.com) on the One Thing newsletter. (Rules 10, 19, 20 speak my language.)

### 6\. User needs is great. But it is not an end in itself. 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/khalilcassimally%5Fuser-needs-is-great-it-is-an-important-stepping-activity-7282054110130900994-%5FiDt?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAABP796MBPxdktcBxQPhOJ07llvlGwocrDLo)

🧞[Khalil A. Cassimally](https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalilcassimally/?ref=newsalchemists.com) dropping truths: "*It’s time to move beyond platitudes about journalism as a public good and take tangible steps to make it a reality.*"

### 7\. Journalism, media, and technology trends and predictions 2025 👉 [LINK](https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/journalism-media-and-technology-trends-and-predictions-2025?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Nic Newman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicnewman/?ref=newsalchemists.com) & 🧞[Federica Cherubini](https://www.linkedin.com/in/federica-cherubini-a8a5062a/?ref=newsalchemists.com) of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reminding us that "a big part of the task for news leaders in the year ahead will be to redefine the role and value of journalistic institutions."

---

[Want more? 📚 Check out the previous editions](https://www.newsalchemists.com/)

---

📸 The header image is not connected to the content of the newsletter. Just a photo taken by me to add a little colour.
### 🔶 #03: "Outlets pivot to promoting action, not just news."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-3/
Last updated: 2026-01-26T21:31:42.000Z
> *This post was originally published* [*on LinkedIn*](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mattia-peretti%5Faudience-community-sustainability-activity-7282320098978095104-GBbV?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop)*.*

Continuing a series I started in late 2024, here I'm sharing 7 articles I read last week about audience, community, and sustainability that made me think and gave me hope 📚

### 1\. Outlets pivot to promoting action, not just news 👉 [LINK](https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/12/outlets-pivot-to-promoting-action-not-just-news/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Anita Li](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitayli/?ref=newsalchemists.com)'s 2025 Prediction for Nieman Journalism Lab: "*Why do we, as journalists, do what we do? What’s our fundamental value? And how do we translate that value to the public in a way that’s clear and accessible?*"

### 2\. The metamorphosis of media leadership 👉 [LINK](https://www.pboehler.net/12-kafka-newsroom-2/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Patrick Boehler](https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickboehler/?ref=newsalchemists.com) in his Re:filtered newsletter: "*I've watched my own generation of leaders chase algorithmic success just as our predecessors chased broadcast ratings. Both approaches share the same flaw: measuring success through reach rather than service.*"

### 3\. Hopefully pissed off 👉 [LINK](https://jskfellows.stanford.edu/hopefully-pissed-off-c86583b4b876?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Candice Fortman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicefortman/?ref=newsalchemists.com) in her first piece for the JSK Fellowships at Stanford.

## Sign up for the News Alchemists newsletter

🧶 🧶 A weekly curation of reads that will make you think and give you hope about the future of journalism and its role in our lives.

Sign up 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

### 4\. Learning from membership models: Daily Maverick’s superpower database 👉 [LINK](https://theaudiencers.com/learning-from-membership-models-daily-mavericks-superpower-database/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Madeleine White](https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeleinewhite123/?ref=newsalchemists.com) on The Audiencers. I love this from the 🧩 [Daily Maverick](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/?ref=newsalchemists.com). (Disclaimer: I'm currently working on a project with them as an external consultant.)

### 5\. How The Jersey Bee uses journalism to improve public health 👉 [LINK](https://jerseybee.org/2024/04/22/how-the-jersey-bee-uses-journalism-to-improve-public-health/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Simon Galperin](https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-6/) on 🧩 [The Jersey Bee](https://jerseybee.org/?ref=newsalchemists.com).

### 6\. Can solutions journalism work for local newsrooms? 👉 [LINK](https://rq1.substack.com/p/can-solutions-journalism-work-for)

[Mark Coddington](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-coddington-ba839414/?ref=newsalchemists.com) & [Seth Lewis](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethlewis/?ref=newsalchemists.com) in the RQ1 newsletter, which "brings you up to speed on the latest research on news and journalism".

### 7\. Publishers find the AI era not all that lucrative 👉 [LINK](https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/12/publishers-find-the-ai-era-not-all-that-lucrative/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Rasmus Kleis Nielsen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rasmus-kleis-nielsen-5b97663/?ref=newsalchemists.com)'s 2025 Prediction for Nieman Journalism Lab:  
"*While perhaps a disappointing prospect, I hope this will also be liberating. If they don’t stand around waiting for the Godot of elusive AI licensing deals, they can focus on what matters — creating value not for tech companies’ training models, but for members of the public who want to make sense of the world beyond personal experience.*"

---

[Want more? 📚 Check out the previous editions](https://www.newsalchemists.com/)

---

📸 The header image is not connected to the content of the newsletter. Just a photo taken by me to add a little colour.
### 🔶 #02: "Journalism needs to decenter journalism."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-2/
Last updated: 2026-01-26T21:31:24.000Z
> *This post was originally published* [*on LinkedIn*](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mattia-peretti%5Faudience-community-sustainability-activity-7274725023074910209-b%5FVB?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop)*.*

Like it or not, journalism must change. 

And it's encouraging to read so many voices indicating that journalism is *already* changing, in a direction that put people back at the centre of everything we do, serving their needs and supporting communities. 

Here are 7 articles I read last week about audience, community, and sustainability that made me think, and gave me hope 📚

### 1\. Journalism needs to decenter journalism. 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7273030741469335553-qtmg?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Inspiring post by 🧞[Candice Fortman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicefortman/?ref=newsalchemists.com) – former Executive Director of 🧩 [Outlier Media](https://outliermedia.org/about/?ref=newsalchemists.com) in Detroit – that starts with an important truth: "*Saving journalism has never been the job.*"

### 2\. We don't (always) need to meet readers 'where they are' 👉 [LINK](https://kiesow.net/we-dont-always-need-to-meet-readers-where-they-are/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

"*...we need to meet readers where we can best balance mission and sustainability.*" By 🧞[Damon Kiesow](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkiesow/?ref=newsalchemists.com).

### 3\. Taking lessons from independent bookstores 👉 [LINK](https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/12/taking-lessons-from-independent-bookstores/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[Eric Nuzum](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericnuzum/?ref=newsalchemists.com)'s 2025 Prediction for Nieman Journalism Lab (For me, the best one of the lot this year.) 

## Sign up for the News Alchemists newsletter

🧶 🧶 A weekly curation of reads that will make you think and give you hope about the future of journalism and its role in our lives.

Sign up 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

### 4\. Here is my daily experience reading news on the web from so many sources 👉 [LINK](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew-phelps-316398b0%5Fhere-is-my-daily-experience-reading-news-activity-7272310263314317312-GZgX?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAABP796MBPxdktcBxQPhOJ07llvlGwocrDLo)

TL;DR: it often sucks.

### 5\. Advancing community-centered journalism: Five essential practices 👉 [LINK](https://medium.com/commonplace-forum/advancing-community-centered-journalism-five-essential-practices-c40a77e82d55?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Damian Radcliffe](https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianradcliffe/?ref=newsalchemists.com) on Medium for the Agora Journalism Center.

### 6\. Home page personalisation grows subscriber CTRs, female engagement at Schibsted 👉 [LINK](https://www.inma.org/blogs/conference/post.cfm/home-page-personalisation-grows-subscriber-ctrs-female-engagement-at-schibsted?ref=newsalchemists.com)

By Michelle Palmer Jones for INMA – via [Media Finance Monitor](https://www.funds4media.org/about?ref=newsalchemists.com).

### 7\. The rise of informal news networks 👉 [LINK](https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/12/the-rise-of-informal-news-networks/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Heather Chaplin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-chaplin-4b332548/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad%5Fflagship3%5Fdetail%5Fbase%3BYhWVLNBESYy6rOvmES%2F7%2FQ%3D%3D&ref=newsalchemists.com)'s 2025 Prediction for Nieman Journalism Lab: "*Once the goal is no longer to recreate news organizations as they existed in the past, but rather to ensure that reliable news and information flows, then possibility blossoms.*"

---

[Want more? 📚 Check out the previous editions](https://www.newsalchemists.com/)

---

📸 The header image is not connected to the content of the newsletter. Just a photo taken by me to add a little colour.
### 🔶 #01: "Journalism is a social process: we need to connect with our audience."
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/newsletter-1/
Last updated: 2026-01-26T21:30:32.000Z
> *This post was originally published* [*on LinkedIn*](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mattia-peretti%5Faudience-community-sustainability-activity-7272176978760261633-Vmqz?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop)*.*

📚 7 interesting articles about audience, community, and sustainability in journalism I came across in the last month or so:

### 1\. The Green Line creates local news for the people turning away from “big-J journalism” 👉 [LINK](https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/11/the-green-line-creates-local-news-for-the-people-turning-away-from-big-j-journalism/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

Sophie Culpepper sharing the amazing work of 🧩 [The Green Line](https://thegreenline.to/about/?ref=newsalchemists.com), a hyperlocal publication from Toronto, Canada, on Nieman Journalism Lab.

### 2\. Meeting user needs pays: How reader-centric content drives revenue 👉 [LINK](https://substack.com/home/post/p-151926640?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[Ioana Epure](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ioanaepure/?ref=newsalchemists.com) for Media Finance Monitor.

### 3\. Impact investment enters the chat 👉 [LINK](https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/12/impact-investment-enters-the-chat/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

🧞[Adam Thomas](https://www.linkedin.com/in/datatheism/?ref=newsalchemists.com)' 2025 Prediction for Nieman Journalism Lab.

## Sign up for the News Alchemists newsletter

🧶 🧶 A weekly curation of reads that will make you think and give you hope about the future of journalism and its role in our lives.

Sign up 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

### 4\. Journalism is a social process: we need to connect with our audience 👉 [LINK](https://onemanandhisblog.com/2024/12/journalism-is-a-social-process-we-need-to-connect-with-our-audience/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[Adam Tinworth](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtinworth/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad%5Fflagship3%5Fdetail%5Fbase%3BVYrbVO%2BBQMybRyCWs7QQCQ%3D%3D&ref=newsalchemists.com) on One Man & His Blog.

### 5\. Local newsrooms should have more fun. Your readers and your staff will thank you. 👉 [LINK](https://betternews.org/local-newsrooms-experiment-entertainment-coverage/?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[Hannah Wise](https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-wise-a8200539/?ref=newsalchemists.com) for Better News / American Press Institute.

### 6\. The future of news and the promise of community-centered journalism 👉 [LINK](https://ijnet.org/en/story/future-news-and-promise-community-centered-journalism?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[Damian Radcliffe](https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianradcliffe/?ref=newsalchemists.com) for IJNet.

### 7\. From audience to community: An alternative future for watchdog journalism 👉 [LINK](https://thefix.media/2024/11/15/from-audience-to-community-an-alternative-future-for-watchdog-journalism?ref=newsalchemists.com)

[Mark Lee Hunter](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-lee-hunter-0770212/?ref=newsalchemists.com) for The Fix Media. 

---

[Want more? 📚 Check out the previous editions](https://www.newsalchemists.com/)

---
### Welcome to the News Alchemists newsletter 🤗
URL: https://www.newsalchemists.com/welcome/
Last updated: 2026-03-12T11:50:56.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._