NowThis editor-in-chief, Michael Vito Valentino, shares what makes Gen Z tick, how to earn their attention, and why trusting creators is non-negotiable.
Michael Vito Valentino has a pulse on what it means to make media that resonates.
As Editor-in-Chief at NowThis, he’s tasked with creating programming that meets Gen Z where they are—and where they’re going. That means content that feels real, creators who can speak authentically, and an editorial team that doesn’t publish anything they wouldn’t want to watch themselves.
NowThis reaches more than 90 million followers across its platforms. And, with more than 5 billion views across his career—spanning MTV, Fallen Media, and now NowThis—Valentino has seen what it takes to make Gen Z stop scrolling, pay attention, and share.
We met up with Michael at POSSIBLE 2025 to dig into what’s really working in Gen Z entertainment, what he’s learned from the pivot to social-first, and how creators and publishers can keep up with the speed (and chaos) of a generation raised on TikTok, livestreams, and algorithmic discovery.
▶️ Watch the full interview below, then scroll for more highlights from our conversation.
Gen Z in Three Words: Smart. Irreverent. Chaotic.
When asked to sum up Gen Z’s vibe, Valentino exclaimed:
“They’re smart. They’re irreverent. And they’re a little chaotic.”
He credited the chaos to the times they’ve grown up in, and the smarts to how they navigate it.
“They like it to be cheeky, they like it to be unfiltered. They want it to be authentic,” he said. That applies to the content they consume and the ads they’re willing to engage with. Authenticity drives all the strategy here.
Social-First Isn’t a Shortcut. It’s a Standard.
Even with 90+ million followers across platforms, Valentino says reach doesn’t equal resonance.
“I thought we could make anything and it would stick. That’s not the case.”
Gen Z wants storytelling that makes sense. Content has to be high quality, well-structured, and relevant. “If we aren’t fans of the content we’re making, we shouldn’t be making it,” he said. “We have to be the number one fans—otherwise, who’s it for?”
The Secret to Shares: Stakes, Quality, and Representation
With over 5 billion views across his career, Valentino has a good idea of what drives engagement. For Gen Z, the bar is high—and personal.
“You want to have story arcs… there has to be some type of momentum. It has to feel real to them. Gen Z is all about feeling seen.”
That means crisp visuals, dynamic structure, and relevance that cuts through the scroll.
What Most Brands Are Still Missing
So what’s the trend in digital entertainment that most advertisers are sleeping on?
“The advertisers that win are the ones that trust creators entirely.”
At NowThis, he says the most successful brand partnerships happen when advertisers trust the team to know their audience and shape content that delivers. All advertisers have to do is tell NowThis what they want to promote, then let them work their magic.
And What About Google?
When asked for a NowThis-style headline to describe Google’s current media moment.
“Google’s searching for answers.”
It may have started as a joke, but like much of the best content, it’s funny because it’s true.