From Newsrooms to Newsfluencers: Mapping the Shift in Information Power

This report explores the evolving role of influencers - and particularly “newsfluencers” - in the European information landscape, with a specific focus on Croatia. Drawing on findings from the ADMO project, the Reuters Institute Digital News Report, and recent policy analyses, it examines how internet personalities and fringe mediasources increasingly shape public discourse and challenge traditional journalistic authority. Social media platforms have become the dominant source of news for younger audiences, while trust in traditional media and institutions remains low in Croatia. This environment facilitates the rise of misinformation and disinformation.

The report introduces the concept of the newsfluencer - hybrid figures who combine influencer culture with news production - and compares their practices, economics, and audience relationships to those of traditional journalists. It also acknowledges influencer-led campaigns in the 2024 European elections. Finally, the report provides an overview of regulatory responses, revealing gaps in legal definitions and regulation of influencers in the EU and in Croatia. The findings underline the urgent need for strategic policies to address the major transfer of power from professional journalism institutions to influencers and newsfluencers.

The report was written by Marijana Grbeša.