What creators are teaching us about the future of news on YouTube
Feb 24, 2026 [[read-time]] minute read
Don Lemon being interviewed by YouTube's Rene Ritchie
A new generation of journalists and podcasters is reshaping news on YouTube, and we recently brought more than 50 of them together for our first-ever Independent Media Summit. It was a day for sharing insights — with us and with each other — on the practical side of their work, like using the latest creation tools and scaling their businesses on YouTube. Throughout the Summit, we heard three themes:
1. The future of news is on YouTube
Creators know that the audience is here. In the first half of 2025 alone, viewers watched more than 15 billion hours of news on YouTube, and a recent poll shows that nearly half of all voters now get more news from YouTube than from traditional TV. For many creators, this new audience offers a unique opportunity.
“When people say ‘oh, that’s the future,’ it’s not the future, it’s the now. YouTube is the biggest television network in the world, and if you are not on YouTube, you’re missing out.”
“Both of my channels are geared towards independent creation that is divorced from a large superstructure, and so, we have the freedom to go without traditional boundaries and at the same time, have a lot of fun.”
2. High-caliber journalism is coming to the platform
Some of the most respected names in journalism are bringing their work to YouTube, maintaining the same rigor that they have always been known for. For them, the platform offers a way to maintain journalistic integrity while reaching a global audience directly.
“On YouTube, we can continue to keep the rigors and standards of journalism. It is the largest network in the world, and as news creators, we should use this platform to build trust with our audience. That’s what journalism is about: trust.”
3. Connection builds community
Above all, the summit highlighted how journalistic integrity and creative freedom can combine to build loyal communities. Creators of all types are finding their communities here and tapping into their ability to build loyal fandoms. This is just as true for journalists and podcasters, whose fandom is being built around reporting and trust.
“You can be your full self on YouTube and people fall in love with what you say and who you are.”
“I love that viewers in our comment section are so engaged. More than on any other platform, our comment section is funny, our viewers are involved, and more importantly, they are fans of what we do.”