The Gen Z journalist
Carlott Bru uses social media to give an insight into her life as a journalist. She also speaks about the challenges Generation Z is dealing with.
Say what you think. Research what you want. Make art the way you like: everybody in Germany has these freedoms. They are the basis of democracy and protected in Basic Law. Meet young people from Germany who reveal the different ways they experience this freedom.
She keeps her around 25,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram up to date: Carlott Bru has arrived in Munich and is a bit nervous on her first day at Deutsche Journalistenschule (German School of Journalism, DJS). She paid for her suitcase from an expensive brand by selling used clothing. Carlott is authentic, and a role model especially for young women who would like to work in the media sector in future.
“I describe myself as a Gen Z journalist and would like to show other people my subjective perspective of what it is like to take this career path, and to help them understand the system,” she says. “I also keep drawing people’s attention to the transformation of the media landscape.” Carlott also speaks about the industry’s pitfalls: high expectations, frequently low remuneration and a precarious working situation. “And this is despite the fact that I am in the privileged situation to be living in a democratic country and to have editorial offices continue to hire me, despite the fact that I tend to criticise my own industry,” she points out. “You cannot take this for granted in all parts of the world.”
In Germany, journalism is protected by Article 5 of the Basic Law. This article ensures freedom of opinion, the press and information, making it the central pillar of independent journalism. Journalists in Germany can report freely about political, societal and other issues, without the state controlling or censoring any of their content.
At home on the internet
The successful young journalist from Germany grew up in North Rhine-Westphalia, she studied Social and Business Communication at the Berlin University of the Arts and works as a freelance journalist, for example for the news magazine “Der Spiegel”, the newspaper “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, the weekly newspaper “Die Zeit” and for “funk”, the content network of the public television stations ARD and ZDF. Since October 2024, she has been a student at DJS and living in Munich. She says that she feels at home on the internet. “Social media is my living room, and where a large part of my life takes place,” Carlott says. “It’s where issues are discussed freely and trends are set.”
She is also able to generate an additional income through advertising campaigns on social media. “Journalism is meant to be independent, so it was a hard decision for me, whether or not I should accept these offers,” Carlott explains. “This is why I openly discussed those offers with my community, and this triggered a debate that is now taking place across other media, too.”
Accepting responsibility and representing values: she also considers the freedom to present herself online a necessity, in particular in a time in which populist parties are successfully using platforms such as TikTok to address younger people with emotional and provocative content. “Social media plays a major role in political opinion formation for my generation,” the journalist points out. “This is why I would like to urge people to acknowledge current journalism trends, and to think about what is the most suitable tonality to reach people under 30.”
This is the time for young women to raise issues.
She feels responsible for reporting about such matters in a transparent manner, focussing on the democratising aspects of social media channels. “Everybody has the opportunity to post photos, videos or stories and to express their views,” she says. “This creates room for minority groups and marginalised groups that use the platforms for networking and exchange.” YouTube, Instagram and TikTok also encourage greater diversity: people who may never have had the chance to present their talents via traditional media can become global stars, thanks to these platforms.
A high degree of media literacy is essential
Carlott believes that the influence that her generation has on the way in which freedom and democracy are presented by the media should be reinforced. “As a generation that is strongly committed to political and social matters we advocate for things such as climate protection, fair working conditions and fighting discrimination,” Carlott explains. She also uses her channels to promote gender equality: shared care duties and equal opportunities and wages are becoming increasingly common with Gen Z. “This is the time for young women to raise issues and make trend-setting decisions.” Her vision of the future also includes a domineering role of social media in journalism and a growing impact of artificial intelligence. “Neutral reporting is important and must still be ensured, despite these developments,” Carlott says. “These changes also require consumers to possess a high degree of media literacy.”
