What moves your audience, now and in the future?

DEN saw Carlo van Lienden at the Congress for Stages, Festivals, and Events, where he spoke about the metaverse. We were inspired and invited him for an interview about the audience of the future. What does it look like, and how can cultural institutions respond?
 

Resistance: where do you start?

“Do I really have to dive into this too?” describes Van Lienden, referring to the resistance he feels toward new digital developments. Resistance that everyone undoubtedly experiences. Digital transformation is something you have to engage with, but where do you start?

“Congratulations! The fact that you're asking that question means you're taking the first step,” Van Lienden responds when we pose the question to him.

“Overcome the resistance and start close to home. Get to know your current audience, but also the people who are no longer your audience. Research the needs of former audiences and new generations: what do they want to see? How do they want to see it? You can do this by collecting and analyzing data. Or organize panel discussions!”

What characterizes the audience of the future?

Carlo shares his vision of the future and new generations. “For us, the internet and online world happened to us. I grew up without the internet. Generation Z and Alpha know no different. Because they grow up with phones, they are also accustomed to the way they receive information through them: short and fast.

Additionally, you also see social power dynamics changing. Generation Z is activist and values having a say in decisions.

“The organization of the future will be fully democratic and 100% transparent,” Van Lienden philosophizes. Organizations will be less centrally governed. Stakeholders and employees will have more digital voting rights. “This is speculative,” he emphasizes, “but the trend is visible, especially among newer generations.” 
 

How can you respond to this?

Carlo van Lienden starts with an example: “John Quinn, editor-in-chief of ‘USA Today’, was ridiculed when the newspaper was founded in 1982. At that time, all newspapers saw their circulation decline due to the rise of television. Newspapers back then were large, with lots of text and little imagery. Not what readers of that time were looking for anymore.”

“However, Quinn was inspired by the new medium and designed his newspaper the way television shared information: short articles, color photos, and entertainment. The newspaper became a success.” USA Today is still the largest newspaper in the United States.

Focus on interaction

Simply having a new medium isn't enough. The way young people receive and process information is different. “If you're used to seeing four or five Instagram stories within a minute, someone talking for ten minutes on TV feels like a feature film.” Keep this in mind when creating content.

Additionally, co-creation is important. “Look closely at the gaming world. Storytelling is important. The audience wants to be taken into the story and be in control. Interactivity is crucial for the experience.”

“Both online and in the physical space, more needs to happen than just broadcasting,” emphasizes Van Lienden.

Trends

What trends will we face in the coming years? Carlo van Lienden highlights three key elements: interactivity, storytelling, and experience. “The audience wants to participate or imitate. Think of viral dance videos.” 
 

He also points to the gaming industry as a major example. “They are leading when it comes to digital transformation and reaching new generations.”

What can you do now?

Many organizations are stuck in a four-year subsidy cycle. They have to write multi-year plans, while agility and speed are precisely what are needed to respond to a changing society.

Carlo van Lienden is clear about this: “Make sure you don't miss the boat, but keep it simple. First, find the energy and courage to start. That is the first step. Read books or articles about new media or Generation Z. And discuss it with colleagues.”

Carlo van Lienden is the former editor-in-chief of RTL Boulevard and RTL Late Night. He is currently the owner of content studio Foresee and a public speaker on the metaverse, storytelling, and new media. He focuses on what the audience wants to see, how you show it, and how it resonates. He also regularly researches new developments in the online world. “Because that's where the audience is headed.”