Founder of TLDR News on building trust with a generation tuning out traditional media
By Julia Barcelon
Jack Kelly, founder and CEO of TLDR News, shared how the London-based digital news organisation has grown into a trusted source for young audiences by focusing on accessible storytelling, transparency, and authenticity during his presentation.
Founded in 2017, from what Kelly described as his “university bedroom,” TLDR News has since expanded into a global media brand with nearly four million subscribers across its UK, EU, and Global channels. Today, the company produces explainer videos, podcasts, and a quarterly print magazine while maintaining a focused approach to journalism.
Explaining news, not overwhelming audiences
Kelly emphasised to our Digital Media Asia participants that TLDR’s goal is not to compete in the fast-paced daily news cycle, but to make current events easier to understand.
“We’re not trying to do daily rolling news on stories. We’re not trying to be your only news source,” Kelly said. “We’re trying to explain topics that people are curious about in a really succinct and approachable way.”
He explained that younger audiences often disengage from traditional news not because they lack interest, but because coverage can feel intimidating, overly complex, or disconnected from how they consume information online.
According to Kelly, explainer journalism offers a clearer entry point by focusing on specific questions and presenting them in digestible formats that help audiences leave with a stronger understanding of the issue.
Three key editorial pillars
TLDR’s content strategy centers on three major themes: elections, geopolitics, and economics.
Kelly noted that elections remain a major draw for viewers, even when stories involve countries outside their own.
“There’s a lot of people out there that are generally curious and interested in elections and what’s going on around the world,” he said.
He added that geopolitical coverage, including conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, continues to resonate strongly with audiences seeking context on rapidly evolving global developments.
Economics has also emerged as one of the platform’s strongest content categories. Kelly attributed this to growing concerns among young people about financial stability and uncertainty.
“There’s a feeling of hopelessness among many young people,” he said, noting that helping audiences understand economic systems also helps them better understand their own circumstances.
Building credibility through radical transparency
A defining principle of TLDR News, Kelly said, is what he calls “radical transparency.” It is a strategy aimed at building trust by being openly accountable to its audience.
“We don’t have a major news brand behind us,” Kelly said. “So if we’re going to show people that we can be trusted, we need to be transparent, and we need to demonstrate with our actions.”
As part of this approach, TLDR publicly addresses viewer criticism, openly discusses editorial mistakes, and even releases detailed breakdowns of the company’s finances, including revenue streams and operational expenses.
Kelly acknowledged that such openness invites scrutiny but said it also strengthens the relationship between newsroom and audience.
A human-centered approach in the age of AI
Kelly also discussed TLDR’s cautious approach to artificial intelligence in journalism, saying the company intentionally minimises AI’s role in its reporting process.
“We think that presenting ourselves in a way that is human, that is authentic,” he said, “that’s really important,” he added.
He noted that while AI can be useful when applied responsibly, TLDR believes audiences increasingly value journalism that feels human, accountable, and rooted in genuine editorial judgement.
Collaboration between creators and newsrooms
On the topic of creator-newsroom partnerships, Kelly said creators often look for four things when collaborating with established media organisations: access, prestige, investment, and audience reach.
He encouraged news organisations to consider what they can offer creators beyond distribution, including access to reporting resources, data, interviews, and institutional credibility.
Kelly pointed to collaborations involving CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times as examples of how creator-led storytelling can successfully integrate with traditional journalism models.
A changing media landscape
As news organisations continue adapting to shifting audience habits, Kelly’s presentation highlighted how trust, clarity, and authenticity are becoming central to digital journalism’s future.
For TLDR News, that future lies not in producing more content, but in creating journalism that feels understandable, accountable, and genuinely connected to its audience.
About the author: Julia Barcelon is a Literary and Cultural Studies student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
