The third panel of the conference “Solutions and Innovations in Media”, called ‘’Reaching for audiences in an oversaturated media environment’’, was attended by Viktor Marković, one of the editors of the famous satirical website “Njuz.net” from Serbia. He spoke about journalism trends, stating that audiences’ needs are changing fast. In a short interview, Viktor shared his views on current trends, focusing on Western Balkan countries.
Author: Dimitrije Petrović / Photo: Vanja Čerimagić
What are the fundamental values that content should incorporate to be considered quality content?
It’s a difficult question, but I guess it’s a kind of content that doesn’t necessarily cater to the lowest audiences’ needs but also gives something back in a way that is provoking, intriguing, informative and makes audiences think.
How can quality content reach larger audiences? What made Njuz.net so popular?
We were always trying to make a sort of content that we would like as a team, as a group of people that created Njuz.net. We didn’t think about the broad audiences or whether it will become popular or not. We just tried to make something that we liked because we knew that it would be honest and provide quality in certain ways. And it happened very fast for us. I am not sure if that is a recipe for everybody, but I would say that being consistent, being honest to the audience and believing in what you write will get you the results.
Traditional media is no longer popular among young people. What formats and which platforms should media adopt to get better reach?
I am not really sure if there is a way to reach young audiences. Young audiences, by nature, don’t follow politics that much and don’t follow informative channels that much. They never did, even when I was a kid. It comes naturally later, so I am not sure if it is possible and if the media should wait for young people to become older.
What do you see as the main problem with the media content in Western Balkans?
I think they are catering to the audience too much. It is very easy to write, for example, about celebrities and get tons of clicks, but that sort of content doesn’t provide any value. It is just entertainment. Of course, there is a lot of journalistic responsibility in the ways they are making and publishing articles, creating content with no regard for any sort of journalistic codes.
The media seems oversaturated, and it looks like people are running out of ideas to create new content. What are your tips for people who want to start creating their own content, and what do you see as new trends in terms of media content?
Trends are constantly changing. If you want to follow the trends, you really need to be up to date and follow what is going on in the world. Sometimes you need a little bit of luck, but I would say that you can’t go without believing in what you do and without being persistent, and those are the main “ingredients”. Try not to be too scientific about it, see how the audience reacts to what you do.