Launching the European Journalism Centre’s WhatsApp Channel

Context and rationale

The European Journalism Centre (EJC) has long positioned itself as a hub for knowledge, training and support for journalists across Europe. After running a pilot project with students from Utrecht University, the communications team discovered that many younger participants wanted a more mobile‑friendly, low‑effort way of receiving updates about events and resources. Rather than expecting people to click through from social media posts to the EJC website, they needed a channel that delivered value directly to the device already in everyone’s pocket.

WhatsApp offered a compelling solution for several reasons:

High usage among European audiences. Industry data show that WhatsApp is the most used social media platform in the UK; 73 % of internet users aged 16‑64 use it every month . The Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2023 found that 54 % of surveyed 18‑24‑year‑olds use WhatsApp for news. In other words, the app’s reach spans EJC’s core demographics.
One‑way broadcast and privacy features. WhatsApp’s new Channels function, announced in 2023, allows administrators to broadcast text, images, videos, stickers and polls to an unlimited number of followers without revealing phone numbers. Unlike WhatsApp Groups or Communities, Channels do not provide any personal data access, making them GDPR‑compliant by design.
Daily‑usage habits. WhatsApp is deeply embedded in people’s routines—more than two billion people worldwide rely on the app for messaging, customer service and news updates. Notifications appear in the same space as personal conversations, increasing the likelihood of a message being seen.

The EJC therefore saw an opportunity: by creating a WhatsApp Channel, it could meet journalists and media professionals where they already spend their time, provide concise updates and resources, and strengthen the organisation’s brand without demanding clicks or log‑ins. This approach aligns with broader trends in digital journalism in which media organisations use private messaging apps to build direct relationships with audiences.

Strategy and execution

Laying the foundations

Before launching the channel, the EJC team undertook a short research and planning phase (May 2025). The goal was to ensure that the new channel complemented the organisation’s existing communications strategy and maintained high ethical standards.

Key elements of execution:

🔹 Naming and identity. The channel was given a clear, descriptive name and profile picture consistent with the EJC brand, making it easy to find in WhatsApp’s searchable directory.

🔹 Purpose definition. The channel was positioned as a broadcast service to share resources (e.g., event announcements, fellowship deadlines, research reports) in a concise, mobile‑friendly format. Followers were not expected to reply; instead, the focus was on delivering timely and relevant information.

🔹 Audience segmentation. Primary targets included early‑career journalists and media educators who already followed EJC on Instagram or subscribed to its newsletters. Secondary audiences were participants in EJC training programmes, alumni, and peers in the media‑development sector.

🔹 Content rhythm. To avoid overwhelming followers, the team planned a flexible cadence of one to two updates per week with occasional bursts when major events were announced. Short updates containing links to deeper resources allowed followers to decide whether to engage further.

🔹 Promotion channels. The channel was seeded quietly within the organisation on 13 May 2025, followed by a coordinated soft launch on 2 June. Promotion tactics included newsletter blurbs, Instagram Stories, LinkedIn posts and QR codes displayed during lectures and events.

🔹 Success metrics. Given WhatsApp’s limited analytics, the team defined lightweight indicators: follower growth, number of accounts reached, ratio of followers to non‑followers, and engagement with interactive features (e.g., poll votes).

Platform strengths:

While planning content, the team considered WhatsApp’s inherent advantages and constraints:

📌 Low friction for users. People open WhatsApp multiple times a day, so channel updates appear alongside personal messages. This makes it easier to catch attention without demanding a click‑through to the website.

📌 Human tone. Unlike formal newsletters, WhatsApp allows for a conversational style. Posts can use emojis and informal language without sacrificing professionalism.

📌 Multimedia experiments. The EJC used a mix of text, photos, videos and polls, taking advantage of WhatsApp’s support for rich media. In the pre‑launch phase (13 – 26 May), the team posted anchor messages such as welcome notes and event photos to give early followers a sense of what to expect.

📌 Privacy and compliance. Because channels hide the phone numbers of administrators and followers, they avoid many GDPR pitfalls. This reassured the EJC that it could reach audiences without collecting or exposing personal data.

However, there were also limitations: the channel relied heavily on proactive promotion because WhatsApp does not algorithmically recommend channels; analytics were rudimentary; and integrations with existing CRM tools were non‑existent. Recognising these constraints helped set realistic expectations for the pilot.

Launch and early engagement

The channel officially launched on 2 June 2025 with a soft roll‑out to gauge interest before investing in a larger push. Promotions were intentionally low‑cost and relied on existing owned channels:

Newsletter & Instagram announcement (2 June). A short paragraph in the “Latest from EJC” newsletter and a brief Instagram Story introduced the channel. By the end of the day, the channel had 33 followers.
LinkedIn post (3 June). Sharing the channel on LinkedIn tapped into EJC’s professional network and brought the follower count to 45.
University lecture (4 June). A QR code was displayed during a lecture at the University of Catania, resulting in 16 net new follows. During the same week, staff shared the channel in various WhatsApp groups, boosting organic growth.
Newsletter boosts (11 and 19 June). Dedicated sections in the newsletter proved particularly effective, adding 19 and 33 new followers respectively.

During this first month the channel also ran its first interactive poll on 24 June, which received 17 votes across four options. This provided a baseline for future experiments with quizzes and feedback prompts. Followers were encouraged to react with emojis or share the channel within their networks.

Impact and results

By the end of June 2025, the WhatsApp Channel had reached 201 accounts; 79.1 % of those were followers, while the remaining 20.9 % were non‑followers who saw forwarded messages. The net gain of 158 followers (with only two unfollows) suggested that the content resonated with the audience and that people rarely left once they subscribed. The interactive poll, albeit small, showed that followers were willing to engage beyond passive consumption.

Key takeaways

✔ Meet audiences where they already are. Private messaging apps are now critical touchpoints in the media mix. For younger, mobile‑first audiences, delivering value directly inside WhatsApp can build stronger relationships than trying to drive clicks to a website.

✔ Prioritise privacy and consent. Channels hide phone numbers and limit personal data sharing, making them more compliant with European data‑protection regulations than traditional group messaging. Clearly communicating this privacy to users can increase adoption.

✔ Cross‑promotion is essential. Newsletter mentions, social posts and in‑person events drove the majority of follows. Without proactive promotion, even useful channels may remain undiscovered.

✔ Experiment with interactivity. Simple features such as polls and emoji reactions provide immediate feedback and make followers feel involved. Early experiments like the 24 June poll created a baseline for future interactive content.

✔ Start small and iterate. The EJC began with a soft launch, refined its content rhythm, and monitored lightweight metrics before scaling up. This approach minimises risk while allowing room to learn what resonates.