By Stephanie Zucarelli
To propose an alternative approach to building journalism, Media Party X invited Anita Zielina, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at The City University of New York (CUNY), to explore how to build interdisciplinary teams that appeal to audiences turning away from traditional news channels.
The journalist trained at Stanford University as a Knight Fellow, specializing in Design Thinking—a strategic model that addresses product challenges through the lens of consumer needs. Her background has fostered the creation of tailored ecosystems for innovative content production across European media outlets such as DER STANDARD, The Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF), and STERN.
In 2019, Zielina launched the Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership at CUNY, driving strategies in digital transformation and management methods for interdisciplinary teams. Together with her team, she trains executive professionals to identify key projects capable of delivering groundbreaking products.
Her experience as Chief Product Officer and Board Member at NZZ Media Group contributed to advancing an editorial leadership method that identifies audience friction points when engaging with news content.
In her workshop, “Why We Need a New Generation of Media Leaders and How Product Thinking Can Get Us There,” Zielina invites editorial executives to understand why newsrooms must be rethought as interdisciplinary teams and how to implement overarching strategies to support innovative content development.
Much of the transformation in publishing happens at the intersection of product development, marketing, editorial, and technology departments. Leaders in this space must understand how to navigate that mix; they need to know how to guide cross-functional teams that essentially break down the barriers around what used to be purely editorial,” Zielina explained during the “Future of Journalism” webinar.
To register for Anita Zielina’s talk and workshop, visit mediaparty.info.
