WHY TMN EXISTS
Pablo Herrera on Building a Global Youth Network
Primavera Sound Barcelona. Photo: Himel Ahmed / TMN
What if the best way to prepare young people for the creative industries isn't through simulations, but through real work?
NEW YORK | Teens Media Network
That question sits at the heart of Teens Media Network, the international youth media platform founded by Pablo Herrera. In the latest episode of TMN Creative Thinking, recorded during Sónar Barcelona 2026 and interviewed by TMN creator Iván Martínez, Herrera reflects on the philosophy behind the organization, the role of mentorship and why he believes young creators should be trusted with real responsibility from day one.
Rather than following a traditional educational model, TMN is built around one simple principle: people learn by creating.
“Ninety percent of what young people learn happens in the field. They learn by creating, making mistakes and improving through experience”
For Herrera, mistakes are not something to avoid—they are an essential part of the learning process. Instead of protecting participants from failure, TMN creates an environment where they can experiment, receive feedback and gradually develop confidence through real assignments.
That philosophy extends into every festival coverage the organization produces. Whether it's Primavera Sound, Sónar or events across the United States, young creators are encouraged to contact managers, prepare interviews, photograph concerts and publish stories themselves rather than simply observing professionals at work.
The conversation also explores the role of mentorship.
Instead of a one-way relationship where experienced professionals simply teach, Herrera describes mentorship as a continuous exchange between generations.
“I’m 50% mentor and 50% boss.”
TMN covering SXSW in Austin, TX.
Young creators receive guidance, but they're also expected to meet professional standards, understand deadlines and learn from the real consequences of their decisions. At the same time, mentors continue learning from younger generations by staying connected to emerging artists, new cultural movements and changing ways of communicating.
Another central theme is TMN's international identity.
Operating across the United States and Spain—and publishing in multiple languages—TMN deliberately resists adapting its editorial vision to satisfy social media algorithms.
Herrera argues that creative communities should be built around shared interests rather than linguistic or geographic boundaries, even if that makes growth more challenging.
Looking ahead, he also discusses TMN's Fellowship Program, designed to connect cultural organizations with young creators through long-term mentorship and real-world professional experience. The goal is not simply to teach creative skills, but to help participants build sustainable careers within the cultural sector.
Ultimately, Herrera describes TMN as something that exists somewhere between a media organization and an educational platform.
It produces journalism, but it also creates opportunities.
It publishes stories, but it also helps build careers.
Yet beyond festivals, interviews and mentorship, Herrera believes there is one idea that defines everything TMN stands for:
“TMN is about building something together that all of us can feel proud of.”
That philosophy, more than any business model or educational framework, is what continues to shape TMN as it grows into a global network of young creators.
Watch the full conversation on the Teens Media Network YouTube channel.
This conversation was recorded during TMN's coverage of Sónar Barcelona 2026 and is available in Spanish on our YouTube channel. English subtitles can be enabled in YouTube settings.
