Industry Project 2024/2025: Digital Transformation - Redefining News for Young Audiences

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The IDBM Industry Project Course is a seven-month journey of collaboration, exploration, and innovation, where students addressing real-world challenges in collaboration with industry partners. This year, we’re inviting you to follow 10 different stories as our teams move through different stages of their project journeys.

The digital transformation has fundamentally reshaped the media industry, shifting news consumption from traditional print formats to a diverse array of digital platforms. Younger audiences, in particular, have readily adopted digital content, navigating through online articles, short-form video, and podcasts.

Recognising the crucial role independent journalism plays in maintaining a healthy democracy, Sanoma Media Finland partnered with the SUGAR team from Aalto University and Trinity College Dublin. Together, they set out to answer a key question: "How might we create new forms of news delivery to serve young audiences better?"

Team concept discussion and brainstorming session

Over the past nine months, the SUGAR team has conducted extensive research to deeply understand the behaviour and preferences of digitally native users and the challenges they face in digital consumption. The aim was to develop innovative, engaging news formats that stand out in today's crowded online landscape, reinforcing Sanoma Media Finland’s commitment to quality news and independent journalism.

The team used a variety of research methods, ranging from interviews, surveys, and focus groups to online research and hands-on prototype testing. The research yielded meaningful insights and informed the iterative development of the solutions.

During our visit to Dublin we witnessed the Saint-Patrick’s day celebrations, had a post-lunch Power Nap at Trinity College Dublin, saw a local football match and went for a day trip to Howth.

In January and March 2025, the global team convened at Aalto University and Trinity College Dublin to analyse their findings collaboratively, refine their concepts, and create a go-to strategy to prototype their ideas with real users. During these sessions, the team highlighted key areas of improvement and focus: reducing news fatigue, strengthening social connections, and enhancing personal relevance in news consumption among young audiences.

As a result, the team developed two functioning prototypes for Sanoma Media. The first solution presents an engaging, visually appealing way to browse news content via a map and mood playlist features. The second solution offers a low-pressure, emotionally supportive method to manage news intake via a web extension, ensuring that the experience remains personally meaningful without becoming overwhelming.

In May 2025, the SUGAR team showcased their final outcomes at both the Aalto IDBM Impact Gala and Trinity College Dublin’s Design Day. Looking ahead, the team will present their insights directly to Sanoma Media, highlighting the potential future directions for the project.