Jake Seaton, 26
Founder & CEO, Column Education: Harvard College, bachelor of arts in computer science and journalism
What advice do you have for other young professionals in the news industry?
There are many challenges facing the news industry. My best piece of advice is to pick one and fix it.
Find the challenge you feel uniquely passionate about and qualified to make a difference.
In your experience as a founder of a company supporting this industry and a fifth-generation news businessperson, what is the most critical thing that this industry must achieve to continue to be sustainable and relevant?
We all know the industry is changing, and it will look radically different in the coming decades. It is critical, amidst change, that our industry embrace technological advancements that provide more sustainable business models and actually make a difference. Since starting Column, we’ve encountered occasional resistance to change and innovation within the industry that is understandable, given the history, but this mentality is ultimately a considerable risk to sustainability. With Column, we’re trying to tell a better story of how technologists can support the industry’s future.