Branding or visual storytelling? How legacy media use visual journalism to reach young people in the age of digitalization

Abstract

This article discusses how legacy media companies are responding to the real or imagined challenge of reaching young people in the age of digitalization, by investigating two different strategies for how to make use of the so-called Generation Z’s preference for sensory and visual journalism. Through expert interviews, we present how the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK P3 and the biggest newspaper in Norway, VG, approach the challenge of catching young people’s attention. We identify two strategies for how legacy media companies work with visual expressions and designing their digital content when trying to reach a wide, fragmented young target group on digital platforms. VG is a platform-oriented storyteller where design is connected to the direction and mode of storytelling and tailored to fit certain platforms. Their area of focus is to be where their target groups are and to meet the visual expectations of these audiences by taking cues from what is trending on different platforms. NRK P3 takes the approach of a traditional brander that works in both visionary and traditional ways to build a strong, trustworthy and visible brand. We conclude by pointing out possible problems with both approaches.