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Jenni Ryall's impressive career has spanned the world of journalism and the ever-evolving tech industry. From building Mashable Australia from scratch to leading digital content across hundreds of journalists for one of the US's biggest broadcasters, she has been at the heart of much of the media's digital evolution.
In this conversation for our Decoded series, Jenni shares her insights into the challenges and opportunities of the media industry today and how important innovation and adaptability are for shaping the future. We've had the pleasure of working with her and the team at Bastion Digital, where she leads strategy across digital media, tech and content. Her perspectives are a masterclass in forward-thinking, staying curious and resilient in somewhat turbulent times.
Kia ora Jenni. You’ve worked as a journalist and editor at Mashable and News.com.au, where you ran a 40-person newsroom. What were those experiences like, and how do they inform what you do today?
Working as a journalist laid the foundation of my career. My time at News.com.au was in the early days of digital journalism. We could be scrappy, creative and energetic in breaking away from traditional journalism. I learned to navigate a fast-paced, reactive environment and honed my decision-making and leadership skills. It was also a formative time for building a support network in the industry and experimenting with new content types and technologies.
At Mashable, I was their first global hire and built Mashable Australia from the ground up. It was a fantastic opportunity to work with a small local team backed by a huge New York media company I had idolised. Mashable was at the peak of digital journalism, reaching 40 million people a month, and they were ahead of their time with custom tools like Velocity, which predicted audience interest. That experience deepened my passion for product and technology, it showed me how great tools can transform how journalists work.
I eventually moved to New York to run Mashable’s breaking news team during the 2016 Trump election. It was chaotic and intense — a huge learning curve as an Australian thrown into the wild pace of U.S. politics. That period highlighted the overwhelm of information both for journalists and audiences, and looking back, it marked the end of the social media-driven era of digital journalism. After Facebook changed its algorithm in late 2016 to prioritise friends and family content, it fundamentally shifted the business overnight. I was leading global content strategy during this pivotal moment, and it really shaped my perspective on adapting to change in the media landscape.
Facebook has been a real rollercoaster in terms of its relationship with journalism. What made you want to work there?
Yeah, it's definitely had an interesting relationship with the media and I’ve seen it from both sides. I spent a long time working as a tech reporter, and I’m a tech geek at heart, so I’m really interested in how global companies at the intersection of content and product operate. I joined Facebook to gain a new perspective on the industry that had shaped my career and also to be at the forefront of technology that was driving a lot of the change through the media industry.
I joined Facebook in 2020, at the start of COVID-19 when Campbell Brown was leading news globally and although there had been a historically tumultuous relationship, I did believe in the work the company was doing with the journalism industry and that I could use my experience to support it. At the time, Facebook was working closely with the industry, funding a lot of digital startups and real innovation initiatives, so it was exciting. I got to work at an industry-wide scale.
I launched the $15 million Meta News Fund partnership with the Walkely Foundation, which supported diverse media companies across Australia. I worked on content acquisition deals and NZ investment deals, learning a great deal about policy, which was fascinating. And, I got to provide advice and be an advocate for the news and media industry - that was something that was really important to me and, I think, helpful to the industry.
It obviously took a turn when the Media Bargaining Code was introduced, the world’s first regulation requiring tech companies to do commercial deals with media companies, and with policy contagion on the horizon, Meta walked away from the news industry globally.
Did that lead to your role heading strategy across Digital Media, Tech and Content at Bastion Digital today?
After my time at Meta, I had a lot of conversations about innovation in the news industry and how content can drive business revenue. This led to a chat with Bastion, which was already working with companies such as Google, ABC and Nine Entertainment on the advisory side – and I saw an opportunity to advise on future models, expand the client base to digital content companies and support the survival of a high-quality content ecosystem.
More recently, we have combined forces with Bastion’s technology and data team to supercharge the offering as Bastion Digital. For me, it’s now become a rare opportunity to build innovative products, advise on future models, and guide content-led companies – big and small – through these challenging but exciting times.
More recently, we’ve been working to expand our offering to large-scale programs to support organisations deliver revenue growth, transformation, and AI at scale; an AI advisory and implementation offering; and a combined content strategy and technology development consulting product.
ofFor example, we’ve worked with Google to launch programs that empower news organisations to run structured experiments – and track results – to deliver audience, revenue or product growth. Recently, we announced our second AI program with Google, this time in the Philippines, to provide 16 weeks of mentorship, training on product thinking and an experimental framework for organisations to test AI tools.
This results-driven approach ensures measurable outcomes and it’s exciting to see how this work can help shape the industry's future.
The media landscape is ever-changing, and this year has been particularly turbulent. How do you anticipate and adapt to new trends?
Always staying curious. Because I trained as a journalist, I think that comes with the territory. I’m always looking for people and businesses that are doing cool things. I want to meet with them and understand what they’re working on. I try to listen and read as much as I can. I think having a growth mindset is important too. I’m always playing around with new technologies and staying across developments. I really believe if you’re working in media currently, you should at least understand how TikTok works at a deeper level and have a foundational understanding of AI as it relates to content. It helps you have a view to where all this change and innovation might take us. I try to keep learning. I think it's critical to stay one step ahead.
It’s so easy to listen to all the news out there, filled with a lot of despair, which is true and daunting for a lot of reasons. But with that, I try to find pockets of innovation and be inspired by that. Keep walking towards the important goal of ensuring younger generations have informative news and a high-quality content ecosystem. Even if the format is changing.
How hopeful do you feel about the industry?
It’s a really hard time at the moment, and the pace of change is giving everyone whiplash - but I think there is much to be excited about if you are looking in the right direction. It’s probably the most change I’ve ever seen in my career in a short period of time. I think a lot of it is driven by changes at the tech companies that then influence the entire content ecosystem. The way people shop is changing, the expectation of convenience is changing - and how we communicate is changing. I think the way TikTok has changed the way many people consume content is really fascinating.
I am really interested in this new trend I’m seeing – creator-led media companies. They’re building up resources and teams and finding brand and product opportunities. I think of Steven Bartlett from Diary of a CEO or Elizabeth Day from How To Fail. They started as one person and are becoming huge brands. Media companies can learn a lot from this type of diversified revenue model.
I’m also closely watching the evolving media startup scene and the focus on small teams building loyal audiences through newsletters and podcasts. It's better to have fewer dedicated members who will pay you for your work, rather than a huge audience that doesn’t care if you survive or fail.
From an agency perspective, I’m seeing companies finally shifting structures and workflows that should have been shifted a decade ago, the continued growth of content-led companies outside the media, the changing shopping ecosystem and the growth of retail media, and AI moving from high-level talk to implementation and testing.
So, while many hard things ar going on, there are a lot of positives, too.
How do you see the relationship between creators and traditional media evolving in the coming years?
Traditional media companies are losing relevance with younger audiences, often due to a growing disconnect between how content is produced and consumed. It’s tough for these companies to invest in emerging platforms without immediate revenue returns, but understanding audience needs — whether through great UX or highly specific, personalised content — is critical.
Creators and media startups are excelling at providing valuable and niche content tailored to their audiences. It’s important not to dismiss them as just “dances” or “behind-the-scenes” entertainment. They’re deeply connected to their audiences, often more so than traditional media.
Media companies should explore how they can work with creators to better connect with audiences in ways they’re not currently equipped to. It’s a fascinating space with lots of possibilities.
Looking ahead to the future of digital media, what do you think the biggest opportunities and challenges are?
The creator economy is a massive opportunity — it’s projected to be a $480 billion industry by 2027. Personalisation algorithms delivering niche content are another exciting development, offering media companies opportunities to play in that space.
On the flip side, disruption and the complexity of new revenue models are significant challenges, particularly for large businesses. However, testing and learning in small ways can help them build products or audience strategies that make sense. Algorithms, while great at personalisation, are also creating silos, reducing shared content experiences—a fascinating challenge for the industry to tackle.
What are your biggest career learnings so far?
Leaning into soft power has been key. Millennials are starting to take the reins, and our focus on empathy and understanding people’s whole selves is transforming workplaces, particularly in media. It’s about staying true to yourself, having boundaries and maintaining balance.
Negativity can be pervasive in this industry, but finding something on the horizon to be excited about — being a first mover in emerging areas — can help you stay ahead. Content is the backbone of the internet, and with AI essentially being a content business, it’s an exciting space to work in. Most importantly, have fun. The first year of any job is tough, but if you’re not enjoying it after that, it’s time to move on and find what fulfils you.
And finally, build a strong network of people who can advocate for you, guide you, vent with you and inspire you. It's been the one thing that I couldn't have survived without.
And what is your proudest career moment?
I have two. Leading Mashable’s breaking news team through the Trump election was a proud moment. As an Australian journalist thrown into the chaos of American politics and its characters and being part of such an intense and complex time, I tested and refined my skills as both an editor and a leader.
I’m also incredibly proud of launching Mashable Australia. We were a small, amazing team in Bondi Beach, and it felt like the world was at our feet. Being part of that early internet media era was so much fun, and I’m forever grateful for it.
I really hope we can bring some of that fun and innovation back to media — there’s so much happening that is challenging, but I'm ready to focus on optimism and cool things again. Hopefully, it can lead to the next era of content and build a future information ecosystem we can feel proud of.
