Based on the transcript provided, the speaker, Lea Korsgaard (co-founder of Zetland), presents a comprehensive strategy for the survival and evolution of modern journalism. Her presentation can be distilled into three core arguments that challenge traditional media paradigms.
Here is a detailed elaboration of each argument, analyzing the philosophical, economic, and technological dimensions of her strategy.
Argument 1: The Shift from “Information” to “Enlightenment” (The Grundtvigian Imperative)
Core Argument: In an era defined by information overload, the primary function of journalism must shift from simply providing facts (“The Latin Teacher” model) to fostering civic agency and “awakeness” (“The Folk High School” model). Success is not measured by the volume of content consumed, but by the resulting courage, desire, and responsibility felt by the audience to engage with the world.
Detailed Elaboration
Lea Korsgaard begins her presentation by fundamentally redefining the mission of a media company in the 21st century. For decades, the prevailing dogma in journalism—particularly in the Western liberal tradition—has been that the job of the press is to provide objective information. The assumption was that if the public is fed facts, democracy will naturally flourish. Korsgaard argues that this assumption is now insufficient, if not obsolete. We have moved from an age of scarcity, where information was a prize, to an age of abundance, where information is noise. In this context, simply adding more data points to the “endless stream of noise” does not help society; it paralyzes it.
Korsgaard introduces Zetland’s mission statement as a direct counter-strategy to this paralysis: “We help people better understand the world so that they feel the courage and the desire and the responsibility to take care of it.” This is a radical departure from standard newsroom logic. Most editorial boards focus on the “what” (the news event). Korsgaard focuses on the “so that” (the psychological and behavioral outcome). This tripartite goal—courage, desire, responsibility—positions the media organization not as a passive mirror reflecting reality, but as an active agent in identity formation. The journalism is designed to move the user from a state of passive consumption to active citizenship.
To anchor this philosophy, Korsgaard draws deeply from Danish cultural history, specifically the philosophy of N.F.S. Grundtvig, the 19th-century “founding father” of the Danish nation-state concept. By invoking Grundtvig and the “folk high school” tradition, Korsgaard is signaling a move away from academic elitism toward democratic empowerment. The folk high school is a unique Scandinavian institution with no grades and no exams; its purpose is “enlightenment for life.” Korsgaard cites Grundtvig’s maxim: “You have to uplift in order to enlighten.”
This is the crux of her editorial philosophy. Traditional journalism often operates on the reverse logic: it tries to enlighten (inform) first, hoping that people will care later. Korsgaard argues that you must first “wake people up”—engage them emotionally, spiritually, and socially (“uplift”)—before they are capable of absorbing complex information (“enlighten”). If a reader is cynical, overwhelmed, or bored, no amount of investigative reporting will penetrate their worldview. Therefore, the journalist’s first job is to create a sense of “awakeness,” a desire to participate in the society being described.
Korsgaard explicitly contrasts this with the “Latin Teacher” model. She describes the classical educator who stands at a podium, delivering a monologue to passive students. This figure represents the “Voice of God” narration typical of 20th-century legacy media—the distant, objective institution handing down the truth from on high. Zetland rejects this. They aim to transform the Latin Teacher into a facilitator of dialogue. This means the journalism must be conversational, accessible, and rooted in storytelling rather than just reporting. Humans understand the world through narrative arcs, not isolated data points. By adopting the “zebra” (a hybrid animal) as their mascot, Zetland symbolizes the merging of this 19th-century humanistic ideal with modern digital reality.
This philosophical stance has profound implications for their product design, specifically the concept of “finishability.” Korsgaard explains that Zetland publishes very little: a morning brief, two feature stories, and an afternoon deep dive. In a digital economy that usually rewards volume and click-through rates, this restraint is a deliberate philosophical choice. By offering a product that can actually be finished, Zetland is selling a psychological state of completion and competence. When a user finishes the daily edition, they feel informed and ready to move on with their life. Contrast this with the “infinite scroll” of social media or 24-hour news sites, which leaves the user in a perpetual state of anxiety and “FOMO” (fear of missing out). Korsgaard’s argument is that you cannot “enlighten” a person who is drowning. By curating the noise and reducing the volume, Zetland provides the mental space necessary for true understanding.
Furthermore, this approach dictates the type of content they produce. They focus on “future stories”—power, life, the planet, tech, culture. They avoid the commoditized breaking news that every other outlet covers unless they can add significant depth or a constructive angle. This “Constructive Journalism” (though she does not use the term explicitly, the principles align) is about solving the problem of news avoidance. Many people, especially younger audiences, avoid the news because it makes them feel helpless. By framing stories through the lens of “responsibility” and “courage,” Zetland attempts to restore the agency of the reader. The journalism is not just about how the world is broken; it is about the tools available to fix it.
Ultimately, Korsgaard’s first argument is that the “product” of a media company is no longer the news article itself. The product is the user’s relationship with the world. If the user feels empowered and capable of handling reality after using the app, the company has succeeded. If the user feels anxious and apathetic, the company has failed, regardless of the accuracy of their reporting. This shift from information-provider to enlightenment-facilitator is the foundational theory upon which the rest of the business is built.
Argument 2: The “Membership” Model as a Community of Trust
Core Argument: The sustainable business model for modern media is not “subscription” (a transactional fee for content) but “membership” (a relational buy-in to a mission). This model relies on radical transparency and treating the audience as intelligent stakeholders, which transforms them into the primary engine of growth through organic advocacy (“Ambassador Campaigns”).
Detailed Elaboration
Korsgaard’s second major argument addresses the economic reality of the media landscape. She posits that the “subscription” model—where a user pays money to bypass a paywall—is insufficient for building a resilient media brand in the current climate. Instead, she advocates for a “Membership” model. While these terms are often used interchangeably in the industry, Korsgaard draws a sharp, strategic distinction between them. A subscriber is a customer who buys a product; a member is a supporter who joins a cause.
This distinction is not merely semantic; it is the engine of Zetland’s survival. Korsgaard recounts the company’s “Valley of Death”—a period where they were burning cash, growth had stalled, and the future looked bleak. Traditional marketing methods failed them. TV commercials and print ads could not convey the nuanced value of “focusing your attention.” Furthermore, when they tried giving the product away for free (a classic subscription acquisition tactic), churn was “intense.” This reinforces a key economic principle: price is a proxy for value. When the product was free, users treated it as disposable. When the relationship was purely transactional, loyalty was non-existent.
To escape this trap, Korsgaard argues that a media company must weaponize Radical Transparency. Zetland decided to open its books to its audience. They published articles detailing their burn rate, their salaries, and the specific number of members needed to break even. They built interactive tools allowing users to simulate the business: “If we fire three journalists, we save X; if we raise prices, we gain Y.” This was a risky move that most private companies would never consider. However, Korsgaard argues that this vulnerability is exactly what generates trust. By treating the audience as intelligent adults capable of understanding the business of journalism, Zetland dissolved the barrier between “producer” and “consumer.”
This transparency laid the groundwork for the Ambassador Campaign, which Korsgaard presents as the “growth machine” of the company. Instead of paying Facebook or Google for ads, Zetland asked their existing members to recruit new ones. This strategy relies entirely on the “Membership” psychology. When they asked members if they wanted a financial reward (a kickback or discount) for recruiting friends, the members explicitly rejected it. They said, “I don’t want to earn something from my friend.” This is a critical insight: the motivation to recruit was intrinsic (altruism, belief in the mission), not extrinsic (money).
Korsgaard argues that the Ambassador Campaign fulfills a specific user need: the desire to be useful and to “do good.” Recommending Zetland became an act of identity. It allowed the member to say, “I support quality journalism, and I think you should too.” The campaign gamified this process (tracking how many people you recruited via the app) but kept the incentives pure (tote bags, stickers, and the satisfaction of helping). The results—recruiting thousands of members in weeks and breaking growth ceilings—prove that a media company can grow by leveraging social capital rather than financial capital.
Crucially, this model changes the nature of Retention (Churn). Korsgaard notes that while churn exists, the “Membership” mindset creates a much “stickier” user base. She points to the “Household” plan as an example. Initially, the business side feared that allowing members to share their login with family members would cannibalize sales. Instead, it reduced churn. If a product becomes a shared habit within a household—something discussed at the dinner table—it becomes much harder to cancel. The social pressure and the shared utility insulate the business from individual whims.
This argument also extends to Participation. Korsgaard emphasizes that members are not just payers; they are sources. The “community” aspect of the app allows journalists (like “Mohammed” in her example) to ask the audience for help, expertise, or case studies before a story is written. This turns the comment section from a cesspool of debate into a resource for research. When a member sees their input shape a story, their loyalty is cemented. They are no longer just consuming the news; they are helping to make it. This participatory loop creates a product that is unique to its audience—a “moat” that competitors cannot easily replicate because they do not have the same relationship with their readers.
Finally, Korsgaard uses the expansion into Finland (Uusi Juttu) to prove that this is not just a Danish cultural anomaly. The fact that they secured 10,000 sign-ups via crowdfunding before the Finnish product even launched demonstrates the power of the “Membership Promise.” People were buying the vision and the values, not the content (which didn’t exist yet). The success of the Finnish ambassador campaign further validates the argument: people across borders are starving for media institutions they can trust and belong to, not just consume. By selling belonging rather than content, Zetland creates a defensive shell against the volatility of the media market.
Argument 3: The “Personable” Product and the Audio-First Revolution
Core Argument: To remain relevant to younger generations (under 40s) and fit into modern lifestyles, journalism must shed its institutional stiffness. It must become “Personable” (driven by distinct human voices and relationships), Personalized (technologically smart), and primarily Audio-based, adapting to the “intermodal” habits of the Netflix/Spotify generation.
Detailed Elaboration
Korsgaard’s third argument moves from philosophy and business into the tangible execution of the product. She identifies a crisis of relevance in the news industry: “legacy” media formats (text-heavy newspapers, impersonal broadcasts) are failing to capture younger audiences. She notes that global trends point toward media that is participatory, personable, and personalized. Most news organizations are lagging behind these trends; Zetland’s strategy is to aggressively embody them.
The most startling data point Korsgaard presents is that 80% of Zetland’s consumption is now audio. She admits, “It’s an interesting question what will happen with text because it’s just less than this.” This is a profound admission for a “digital newspaper.” Korsgaard argues that the medium (text) must be secondary to the reality of the user’s life. The modern user—especially the 20-to-40-year-old demographic that makes up 50% of Zetland’s base—is busy. They are commuting, parenting, cooking, or exercising. They cannot sit down with a broadsheet for 45 minutes. If journalism requires focused visual attention, it becomes a luxury good that few can afford.
By shifting to an audio-first model, Zetland transforms journalism from a chore into a companion. The “Morning Brief” and “Deep Dive” are timed to match the average Danish commute (approx. 20 minutes). This respects the user’s time constraints. Korsgaard argues that accessibility is a form of quality. However, this is not just about reading articles out loud (text-to-speech). It requires a fundamental shift in style. Korsgaard describes the Zetland tone as “The Economist meets This American Life.” It combines high-intellectual rigor with the narrative, intimate delivery of American podcasting.
This leads to the concept of being “Personable.” Korsgaard argues that the age of the “Institution” is over. Younger audiences do not trust faceless brands; they trust people. They want to know who is telling them the news. This requires the journalists to step out from behind the byline. Korsgaard gives the example of a journalist starting an audio story by recording ambient noise at a café in Paris and saying, “Okay, hey, see you later,” before diving into a serious investigative piece. In traditional journalism, this would be seen as unprofessional or distracting. Korsgaard argues it is essential. It establishes the journalist as a human being—someone with a dog, a specific taste, a location, and a personality.
This “parasocial” relationship is what builds the bond between the user and the app. If the listener feels they “know” the journalist, they are more likely to listen to a story about a dry topic (like geopolitics) because they trust the storyteller. The voice of the journalist becomes a friend in the user’s ear. Korsgaard notes that this tone took years to perfect—retraining journalists to stop writing like “Latin Teachers” and start speaking like humans. The permission to start a sentence with “Okay…” is symbolic of a larger shift from authority to authenticity.
Technologically, Korsgaard argues that a media company today must be a tech company. The experience must be Personalized. She compares Zetland to Spotify or a meditation app. The app must remember where you left off; it must allow you to build a listening queue; it must seamlessly switch between text and audio if you jump off your bike and onto a train. If the app is “dumb”—if it serves the same generic front page to everyone without acknowledging their habits—it feels archaic to a user raised on algorithms. While Zetland is not fully algorithmic (they still curate the main editorial agenda), the experience of the app is tailored.
Korsgaard also addresses the integration of Video, but frames it carefully. They are not pivoting to video to chase TikTok trends; they are adding video to enhance the “personable” connection. The video content will likely mirror the audio content, giving users the choice of how to consume. This “intermodal” flexibility is key to the argument. The product must fit the user, not the other way around.
Finally, this product strategy is a direct response to the failure of the “Link Economy” (Facebook/Social Media). Korsgaard notes that in 2016, they relied on social traffic. That ecosystem is now “broken.” You cannot build a business on rented land. By building a high-quality, habit-forming App that serves as a destination, Zetland reclaims control. The app is designed to be a sanctuary—a “bordered area” (the literal meaning of “Zetland” implies a defined territory). It is a safe, finite space away from the chaos of the open web.
In summary, Korsgaard’s third argument is that high-quality journalism is useless if it is delivered in an outdated package. To survive, the newspaper must mutate. It must speak the language of the podcast, function with the smoothness of a tech startup, and feel as intimate as a conversation with a friend. Only by doing this can it capture the younger demographic that legacy media has already lost.