Solana Pyne, Video Director at The New York Times, addressed the WAN-IFRA World News Media Congress in Marseille, revealing how the news organization is refining its video strategy amid shifting audience habits. Speaking on Feb. 15, 2026, Pyne highlighted that 75% of U.S. adults now watch news videos weekly, up from 51% in 2021, according to the Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report. “People aren’t choosing between reading, watching, or listening—they’re doing all of these things online,” she said, challenging the notion of singular consumption modes.
The Times has structured its video operations into specialized teams, including visual investigations, ground-based video journalists, and a breaking news and live team. These groups collaborate to produce content that “must be watched,” as Pyne described. For example, during the January 2026 shooting of Renée Good in Minneapolis, the visual investigations team combined satellite data, witness footage, and original reporting to provide rapid context. Within 24 hours, they published a visual breakdown of the incident, while White House reporters integrated the event into an interview with former President Donald Trump, despite restrictions on video recording.
Pyne emphasized the importance of strategic video production, noting that not every story requires a video. “It’s about identifying narratives that demand visual storytelling,” she said. The Times’ “Watch” tab, a vertical video feed within its app, curates content to balance engagement with editorial judgment. A dedicated editor oversees the section, blending investigative reports, live updates, and long-form interviews like “The Interview” and “Popcast.”
The organization’s approach reflects broader industry trends. WAN-IFRA, in partnership with Base Media Cloud, is conducting a survey to analyze how news publishers are expanding multimedia capabilities. Pyne’s remarks underscored the growing role of video in newsrooms, even as reading remains the dominant preference. “Audiences are not binary,” she said. “They’re fluid.”
