Publishers shouldn’t be so scared of Snapchat or Facebook or Google. If you are, you shouldn’t be in the business.
Cosmo Editor on the Future of Media: ‘If You’re Nervous About It You Shouldn’t Be in the Business’ (Video)
Cosmo has no fear. No fear at all.
Asa Mathat for Vox Media
That’s according to Joanna Coles, editor in chief of fashion and relationship magazine Cosmopolitan, who talked a lot about the future of media, which is near and dear to her heart.
Cosmo was one of the first publishers sharing content directly to Facebook through its Instant Articles product; it’s also one of about 20 publishers on Snapchat’s Discover section, creating content each day for the app’s millennial-friendly audience.
The transition from glossy print magazines to mobile platforms like Facebook and Snapchat doesn’t scare Coles the way you might imagine.
“I’m not nervous about any of it because I think it’s all incredibly exciting,” she told Re/code Executive Editor Kara Swisher at Re/code’s annual Code/Media conference at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Dana Point, Calif.
“It gives us the opportunity to do new things,” she continued. “I think if you’re nervous about it you shouldn’t be in the business. This is a really fucking interesting time to be around. … Who knows where we’re going to be in 10 years but that’s the fun of it.”
It’s not surprising Coles is bullish on Snapchat — she recently joined the company’s board after helping to get Cosmo included into the app’s Discover section. Coles, who (clearly) isn’t shy, said that being on the board is “really fucking fun.”
She also has high hopes for Snapchat as a news destination, not just a place for entertainment or selfies.
“What’s going to be interesting is watching it emerge as a real news source,” she said, specifically pointing to user Snaps uploaded during the San Bernardino, Calif., shootings back in December. “It does really sort of change everything.”
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
