FIPP launches initiative to put trusted media in front of every child
The new FIPP Committee for Kids Trusted Media, an initiative put forward by Yulia Petrossian Boyle, Chair of the FIPP Advisory Board, sets out to establish industry standards for children’s media – and make the case that raising the next generation of readers is one of the most strategically important things the publishing industry can do to continue having lifelong readers of trusted media.
Today’s children are consuming more media than any generation before them, and less of it can be trusted. US teens average nine hours of media daily, most of it unvetted and algorithm-driven 40% of 12-year-olds cannot distinguish commercial from factual content online. 82% cannot tell news from opinion and advertising. (Sources: Common Sense Media; News Literacy in America report, News Literacy Project 2024) Generative AI is accelerating the problem, with no meaningful accountability for what reaches children at scale.
“A child who grows up navigating algorithmic noise and AI-generated content, without regular exposure to quality storytelling, does not grow into a discerning adult consumer of media,” said Yulia Petrossian Boyle. “It’s not only a social problem – left unaddressed, it results in a shrinking market for everything we make.”
It is in response to this that FIPP, now part of WAN-IFRA, has launched the FIPP Committee for Kids Trusted Media – formally inaugurated at FIPP Insider Marseille on 2 June 2026, with a founding Chair and four work streams already in place.
“We should stop measuring audiences by the monthly value of a subscription,” said Lulu Skantze, Chair of the FIPP Committee for Kids Trusted Media and Founder and CEO of Storytime, “and start measuring them by the lifetime value of the reading habit we create. By raising readers, we are strengthening the future of the entire industry.”
Lulu recently placed 800,000 copies of a children’s magazine into every school and library in the UK through a single partnership, and brings extensive experience across print, digital and audio children’s publishing.
“The future belongs to brands that care for their audiences rather than simply capture attention. Trust, belonging and long-term relationships are far more valuable than viral trends and algorithms,” she said.
The Committee’s initial programme is built around four areas of activity:
- Gold Standard: a globally recognised benchmark for children’s media, covering human-led creativity, verified sourcing and child-safe design
- Institutional Access: unified pathways into schools and libraries, making quality children’s media easier to discover and distribute globally
- Professional Accreditation: credentials for editors, journalists and designers in children’s media, establishing it as a distinct professional discipline
- Insight and Foresight: shared intelligence on how Gen Alpha engages with content, made available across the FIPP/WAN-IFRA membership
Alastair Lewis, Executive Director, FIPP, said: “Children’s media has too often been treated as a niche within the publishing industry. FIPP creating this sends a signal we hope the whole industry will act on: that the readers of the future are a shared responsibility, and that the standards we set now will define the market we inherit. We have the expertise, the credibility and the reach to make a difference.”
Publishers and media organisations with children’s or youth verticals are invited to nominate themselves or colleagues to join the Committee. To express interest, contact hellofipp@wan-ifra.org.
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About FIPP FIPP – Connecting Global Media, is the global network connecting publishers, creators, platforms and innovators who shape the future of magazines, consumer media and special-interest publishing. Since January 2026, FIPP has merged with WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers, creating the world’s largest and most diverse global alliance of media companies. Together, we now unite over 20,000 media brands and technology companies across 120 countries. FIPP.com.
About Storytime Storytime is a global children’s brand redefining storytelling across print, digital and audio formats. storytime.com
Media contact: Sylkia J. Cartagena.
