World news is the jargon term in news media for news from overseas, covering global issues and events. This type of news can be either sent from foreign correspondents or – more recently – gathered by remote reporters. The latter are known as special envoys and can be full-time journalists employed by a news source or a temporary commissioned reporter sent to cover specific events such as war, or to attend meetings of international organizations that a country might belong to.
In 2022, look out for more high-profile cases of journalist burnout as the relentless news cycle, remote working and rising authoritarianism take their toll. Expect news companies to explore new ways of supporting staff this year. Meanwhile, the growing power of creator content in youth-based social media will continue to eat into advertising revenue and fuel a shift towards short-form social video. The growth of platform features that enable charging for content will also open up opportunities for individual creators and creator-driven co-operatives, contributing to a further ‘pivot to video’.
Overall, expect 2022 to be a year of careful consolidation for an industry shaken up by the drawn-out COVID-19 crisis and polarised by debates about politics and identity. Watch for internal soul-searching in newsrooms around diversity and inclusion, and about emerging agendas such as climate change and mental health. And, of course, about how to re-engage audiences that have turned away from news media, with an emphasis on new and more trusted sources.