The Youth Editorial Alliance is a nationwide coalition of newspapers dedicated to advocating the value of content targeted toward youth. The NAA Foundation provides resources and training in the development of youth content in newspapers; serves as a clearinghouse for youth readership initiatives; and helps newspapers plan and evaluate youth features and content.
Specifically, the goals of the Youth Editorial Alliance are to:
- Encourage youth to become lifelong news media consumers;
- Educate and support youth content providers and young journalists;
- Promote the viability of youth programs;
- Train young journalists for careers in the industry;
- Create an information clearinghouse on youth initiatives at papers throughout the United States and the world;
- Provide networking and professional development for those producing or overseeing the creation of youth content.
Young people are current readers and consumers, and possible future subscribers to newspapers.
The proliferation of youth-oriented magazines, movies, radio stations and Web sites is proof that savvy marketers are marketing to teens.
The way to get young people to read is to give them content they can relate to, as written by young people or by those who understand them. In some cases, this means an editorial team of teens and young adults producing content for their peers. Often, it means experienced newspaper journalists working with children and teens to create material that speaks to this unique group.
Youth-oriented content offers value to the reading audience, to the newspapers that publish it, and to the advertisers who want to reach this vital demographic group.
Youth content is a great investment in the future of newspapers. It's an investment different from other niche audiences and may take time to reveal its benefits, but the payoff is tremendous.