Agenda
When people talk about influencers, the spotlight is usually on celebrities and viral personalities. But beneath that flashy surface lies a growing force in the media ecosystem – nano and micro influencers. These aren’t your typical internet stars. With engaged followings of 25,000 to 50,000 people, they are trusted voices, community leaders, and subject-matter experts who are translating complex issues into meaningful insights for their audiences. But how can newsrooms tap into this grassroots power? How can they collaborate with these influential voices to amplify fact-based journalism at a time when more and more people – especially younger news consumers – get their information from influencers?
In this keynote, Justin Arenstein (Code for Africa) and Sharon Moshavi (International Center for Journalists) – co-CEOs of ICFJ+, a new organization focused on building stronger, more effective news and information ecosystems worldwide – will explore how newsrooms can collaborate with these “sensemakers.” Through real-world case studies, they’ll show how cutting-edge social listening tools can identify influential voices and track shifting sentiments, enabling powerful partnerships between journalists and nano influencers.
As studies show a growing gap between what young audiences want and what newsrooms deliver, this session offers a compelling strategy to close it – and ensure more accurate, thoughtful, and community-driven reporting.
