Media Industry Embraces Video in a Renewed Pivot Fueled by TikTok and Social Platforms

Image: Illustrative image · TikTok · Public domain · Source

A decade after the initial pivot to video faltered, media companies are once again embracing social video content, driven by TikTok's growth and an evolving digital landscape demanding new formats and audience engagement.

Nearly ten years after the media industry's first major shift toward video content ended in disappointment, news organizations are undergoing a renewed transformation driven by social video platforms and changing consumer habits. The first pivot to video in the mid-2010s saw publishers invest heavily in video content for platforms like Facebook, motivated by promises of increased reach and new revenue streams. However, inflated view counts and unstable monetization led to layoffs and disillusionment within newsrooms.

Today, a second, more pervasive pivot to video is underway, spurred largely by the explosive rise of TikTok during the pandemic. Social media companies have restructured their feeds to prioritize video, compelling media outlets to catch up — albeit cautiously, given previous setbacks. Platforms such as YouTube now command nearly 16 percent of TV viewing, while TikTok reaches 20 percent of Americans regularly, increasing to 39 percent among younger adults aged 18 to 29.

This new wave values authentic, personality-driven video content crafted with minimal equipment, often resembling unfiltered selfie-style updates rather than polished traditional news broadcasts. News organizations like The Washington Post have found early success integrating short-form video on TikTok, with recognizable figures such as former social video lead Dave Jorgenson illustrating the trust audiences place in individual creators.

Beyond short clips, outlets are experimenting with new video styles inspired by platforms like TikTok. CNN has partnered with the debate-oriented channel Jubilee to produce interactive political content. The New York Times released "The Call," a vertical video series designed to feel intimate and conversational, mimicking a video call between a host and field journalists.

News organizations are also partnering with influencers and creators through dedicated networks to reach social media audiences more effectively. Programs supported by groups such as Poynter and Microsoft facilitate collaborations between creators and news outlets to produce social video content.

Despite widespread adoption, questions about the financial sustainability of video content remain. Unlike earlier efforts, where viral views failed to translate into profits, current metrics often count any feed appearance as a “view,” complicating efforts to directly link video consumption with subscriptions or deeper audience engagement.

Looking ahead, platforms are expanding video to longer, higher-production formats aimed at television and streaming audiences. YouTube is encouraging creators to produce exclusive shows, and Instagram has introduced support for 90-minute horizontal videos, signaling a shift toward more resource-intensive content. The BBC’s upcoming exclusive programming and 24/7 livestream on YouTube exemplify this trend.

While short-form video continues to thrive, this move toward longer content suggests media outlets and creators may soon face pressure to develop more polished, in-depth video programming akin to traditional TV production. As platforms dictate content trends and audience discovery, media organizations must continually adapt to maintain relevance in an evolving digital ecosystem.

This evolving landscape underscores the complex, often uneasy relationship between news media and tech platforms, which simultaneously offer access to vast audiences and impose new demands on content creation. The next phase of video-driven media will likely require balancing quick, casual social videos with longer, higher-quality programming — a challenge that media outlets are just beginning to navigate again.