How the Houston Chronicle collaborated with an Instagram creator
Houston Chronicle team,The Houston Chronicle was one of 16 organizations that experimented with collaborating with creators and trusted messengers as part of the American Press Institute’s Influencer Learning Cohort in 2025.
“We’re implementing a two-prong strategy of working within the creator economy. The first one is to internally train and support staffers in making creator-style videos (which many newsrooms are also moving toward as an off-platform strategy). The second one — and the topic of this month’s series — is to meaningfully partner with local creators,” said Jennifer Chang, senior director of innovation & experimentation.
In this special four-part series from API, Chang; Chronicle colleagues Jody Schmal and Alejandra Matos; and the local food influencer they partnered with, Shawn Singh, offer their honest reflections on the experience and share practical tips for others in local news interested in collaborating with creators:
- How a local newsroom got started in working with influencers
- An influencer reflects on his partnership with the Houston Chronicle
- The uneasy art of collaborating with influencers
- How to adapt a creator mindset for your newsroom
More on creator collaborations: