“Engagement is the metric of whether people actually care.”

Join me as I sit down with Simone Aponte, VP News Director at KTVU, who has spent her career inside newsrooms - from writing scripts at 3:00 AM to leading teams shaping how communities receive and understand information.

Simone has seen the media landscape shift in real time - not just in how news is produced, but in how trust is built, how teams are led, and how impact is measured.

In this conversation, we explore what it actually looks like to lead inside a newsroom - the shift from doing the work to building systems, developing people, and thinking long-term in an environment that runs on constant deadlines.

We talk about the tension between speed and thoughtfulness in news, why engagement matters more than reach, and how the way people consume information is fundamentally changing.

We also talk about AI in journalism, the realities of leading through constant change, and what it means to leave something better than you found it.

This is a thoughtful, grounded conversation about leadership, journalism, and the responsibility that comes with shaping how people understand the world around them.

You’ll Learn

⭐ Why engagement matters more than views or reach
⭐ What it actually looks like to lead inside a newsroom
⭐ The shift from doing the work to leading people and systems
⭐ Why local news still matters for strong, informed communities
⭐ How Simone’s definition of success has evolved over time
⭐ What it means to build trust with audiences today

Key Insights

Engagement Reflects Real Impact
It’s not about how many people see something - it’s about whether it resonates enough for people to respond, share, and care.

Leadership Requires Letting Go of the Work
Moving into leadership means stepping out of execution and focusing on people, systems, and long-term outcomes.

Speed and Thoughtfulness Are in Constant Tension
Newsrooms operate in real time, but meaningful storytelling requires context, nuance, and editorial judgment.

Trust Is Built Over Time
In a fragmented media landscape, trust isn’t assumed - it’s earned through consistency, clarity, and credibility.

AI Is Changing the Work — Not Replacing It
Technology can support efficiency, but human judgment and storytelling remain essential.

Timestamps

[00:00:00] – Introduction: Simone’s path into journalism
[00:03:00] – Early career and first newsroom experiences
[00:07:00] – The reality of working in broadcast news
[00:12:00] – Transitioning from producer to leader
[00:16:00] – Thinking long-term in a deadline-driven environment
[00:20:00] – Building a live streaming model during COVID
[00:24:00] – Engagement vs reach in modern media
[00:28:00] – Rebuilding trust with audiences
[00:33:00] – AI in journalism: tool vs risk
[00:40:00] – Redefining success over time
[00:45:00] – Early work experiences and leadership lessons
[00:50:00] – Legacy and leaving things better than you found them

Resources and Links

Connect with Simone on LinkedIn

Find host Kristin Belden on LinkedIn or at BeldenStrategies.com

Sign up for Kristin’s newsletter for more stories, insights, and tools for women leaders: BeldenStrategies.com/newsletter