What role does short-form video play in your newsroom today, and how has that changed in recent years?
The role of short-form video at NZZ has changed drastically over the past 1.5 years. However, we have to differentiate between horizontal short-form video and vertical short-form video.
Regarding horizontal short-form video - we started scaling up its use about two years ago, embedding these videos much like we would photos-to better show our users what is happening instead of just describing it or adding a static image. These videos are barely edited.
Vertical short-form videos at NZZ started out as a "social-only" asset years ago (around 2021) and only made it onto nzz.ch and our app in 2025. Consequently, their production has moved much closer to the center of our newsroom activities.
What are the main goals behind your short video strategy - reach, engagement, subscriptions, brand building, or something else?
There are three goals of short-form videos at NZZ: Making NZZ content more accessible through shorter info-bites.
Reaching a younger audience - and extending that reach off platform. Putting our editors in the spotlight, highlighting our authentic expertise (in contrast to AI-powered content elsewhere).
How is short-form video production organized in your newsroom? Who is involved in creating the videos?
When it comes to vertical short-form video, we produce several different formats. But 95 percent of our short-form videos are produced by either the web video team or the social media team (which consist of about 10 people in total). Fast-paced topics are coordinated directly with the newsroom leads. Longer projects are primarily discussed within the video team and in collaboration with other departments (such as "International", "Science", or "Switzerland"...) to avoid duplication, gather their expert opinions, and secure on-screen talent. These more complex videos are then offered to the newsroom for placement on nzz.ch, just like any other editorial piece.
What does your typical workflow for producing short videos look like, and what are the biggest operational challenges?
Short-form videos are typically produced by a single person, though they can always ask other team members for support. Once a topic has been discussed and approved, the creator begins researching and interviewing in-house experts on camera. They then draft a detailed script. After the script has undergone peer review, the process moves to editing and post-production.
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