How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media - A report by Flamingo commissioned by the Reuters Institute for the Study ...
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How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media A report by Flamingo commissioned by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Oxford University
Contents 1 Foreword
1 Foreword 3 5 News Habits & Behaviours 18 Nic Newman, Senior Research
Associate, Reuters Institute
Differences across news moments 18
2 Executive Summary 4 for the Study of Journalism
Media and Platforms: how young audiences
are accessing the news 20 Mainstream news media has an age problem. In commissioning this report from strategic insight
3B
ackground, Objectives Every year, the Reuters Institute Digital News Report consultancy Flamingo, we engaged a team with a long
& Methodology 6 Observing digital behaviour underlines documents how fewer young people are using traditional track record of researching the attitudes and behaviours of
the preference for social media over news 21 sources of news such as television, radio and print, younger audiences and turning this into actionable insights.
and how they are getting more of their news from social The methodologies chosen, which include tracking the digital
4 T
he Role of News Social media dominates the media and other aggregators. footprints of 20 respondents along with diaries and interviews,
platforms, to varying degrees 23 have helped to uncover some of the core needs of younger
for Young Audiences 12
groups around news, as well us some of the frustrations with
These trends have underlined the challenge for mainstream
Forming news habits & behaviours 27 media in attracting the attention of younger audiences, the approaches taken by mainstream media.
Key generational differences: digital natives
vs. digital migrants 13 in building the brand loyalty and news habits that ultimately
The habits and behaviours of four different This qualitative work has helped complement the data from
will guarantee their future. In short, news organisations are
types of news consumer 27
What does this mean for the role of news? 13 struggling to remain relevant to a generation that has grown our annual Digital News Report and given all of us a much
up with the distractions and diversions of digital media. richer understanding of the differences between younger
The four types of news consumer 28
Greater role of news isn’t translating into and older news consumers. At the same time, we hope
greater relevance for traditional news brands 16 Against that background, we were keen to commission that the insights contained in this report will be useful for
No one-size-fits-all solution 38
a report that could both explore these challenges but also industry, for regulators, policy makers, and others interested
Bridging the disconnect 16 come up with constructive and realistic suggestions about in the future of quality journalism.
6 Industry Insights 40 how to tackle them.
We are very grateful to the Flamingo team both in
Young people’s attitudes towards paying This research sets out to answer two key questions: responding to our brief so creatively, but also for meeting our
for the news 46 demanding timeline. This report was greatly strengthened
—— How do young people consume news? by the input of the Institute’s research team, especially
—— How can news publishers attract young readers, Antonis Kalogeropoulos, who helped shape the focus of the
7 Strategic Options 48
listeners and viewers? research and provided feedback through the process.
This report is made possible by the support of our sponsors
8 Conclusions 54 A number of secondary questions were also investigated,
and published with the support of the Google News Initiative.
such as the relevance of the traditional news agenda, the
type of formats that appeal to younger audiences, as well
9 Appendix 58 as tone of voice and perceptions of negativity in the news.
2 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media Foreword 3
2 Executive Summary 1
Younger audiences are different The study also revealed that the differences in the The experience of news should feel
relationships young people have with the news depend
from older groups not just in what they on three key areas: the moment, the person and the as easy and accessible as Facebook
do, but in their core attitudes in terms medium. Four key news moments (dedicated, updated, and Netflix. This is partly about
time-filler, and intercepted) are described in detail,
of what they want from the news. as are four types of news consumer (Heritage News
how the content is presented,
Young people are primarily driven Consumers, Dedicated News Devotees, Passive News but also about how it is surfaced.
by progress and enjoyment in their lives, Absorbers, and Proactive News Lovers). The impact
of the various media is also investigated, revealing
and this translates into what they key roles, usage, pros and cons of platforms including
look for in news. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and podcasts.
They still need and want news to connect their world to the Lastly, exploring areas of interest for the industry
2
world – and fulfil an array of different social and personal revealed a number of attitudes towards the news,
needs – but they don’t necessarily see the traditional including an overarching finding that consuming
media as the best or only way to do that. News media is news can often feel like a chore.
now competing for attention with myriad other distractions,
and there is a high level of ‘background’ or ‘indirect’ Even if the media adopts the suggestions outlined
exposure to news (through social media, other online in this report, there is no guarantee of success.
News brands need to tell stories in ways
conversations, documentaries and TV shows, etc.). They Our segmentation work suggests that a significant that fit the expectations of young people
don’t need to seek it out, news comes to them. Finally, proportion of young people in the US and UK and the moments when they are open
much of the excitement and gravitas for younger people is will be hard to engage given their low interest in
on the periphery of the news space (infotainment, lifestyle, news. Building brand loyalty with these more ‘passive’
to news. This means creating formats
cultural, grassroots, bloggers and vloggers). groups will be tough, though it is possible that that are native to mobile and social
they will become more engaged as they take platforms as well as incorporating
All this means there is a disconnect; traditional on greater responsibility and enter a different life-stage.
news media no longer seems as relevant or But other groups like the News Devotees and Heritage these ideas into their own websites.
as dominant when it comes to news content. Consumers, and to an extent the Proactive News Lovers,
In a simplified way, how news brands and young people offer more opportunities to build dedicated
view the role and value of news is different: and direct moments for news as well as an ongoing
connection throughout the day.
—— Traditional news brands see news as: what you
should know.
—— Young audiences see news as: what you should
know (to an extent), but also what is useful to
Achieving this will require a relentless focus on the needs
of younger audiences but also a deep understanding
of the motivations that underpin behaviour. We hope this
3
know, what is interesting to know, and what report will contribute to this process.
is fun to know.
The way the news media covers
Based on all of the insight gathered, the report offers a stories may need to change,
And the role of news for young people appears primarily number of provocations around potential payment models, including addressing issues
individualistic; it’s about what it can do for them and a detailed guide to producing content to engage
as individuals – rather than for society as a younger audiences. It arrives at three key conclusions: such as negativity, stereotypes,
whole. While it’s true that the industry is moving diversity and how news brands
towards producing more content of this kind,
most traditional news brands are still not associated
present both themselves and their
with being useful, interesting or fun. content on third party platforms.
4 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media Executive Summary 5
3B
ackground Broadcasters and newspapers
are struggling to reach or build
The objectives The goal-led lens
& Objectives relationships with under-35s. This This study set out to answer two key questions:
—— How do young people consume news?
As social media and aggregators have grown
to dominate the news experience of this audience,
is an age group that tends to access the reference point for the ‘source’ of a story has become
the news via social media, aggregators —— How can news publishers attract young distorted. News brands have grown more and more
readers, listeners and viewers? concerned about ‘attribution’ – that is, how to ensure
and other non-traditional media. that content is properly attributed to the brand or
In this context, there were three key elements author that created it in a multi-platform, fragmented,
This challenge has not gone unnoticed or unresearched. of news to consider: the agenda or content (the chosen global news environment.
Previous studies highlight the role that family topics), the format, and the tone of news. Alongside
background, socioeconomic status and parents’ news this framework of analysis there were key differences This year’s Digital News Report shows that concern
consumption habits all play in forming an individual’s to consider, such as between platforms (e.g. Facebook about misinformation remains extremely high around the
news engagement1. However, with the emergence of and Instagram), between media, between age world, partly driven by very low trust in the news found
a digital native generation in Gen Z, an established groups, and between different payment methods. in social media. A significant proportion of consumers
high-choice news environment and greater exposure – especially younger ones – say they have started
to different attitudes, things might be changing. There were also a number of hypotheses to investigate, to rely more on ‘reputable sources’ in the last year4.
such as the impact an individual’s level of interest in the One possible implication of this is that young people
Recent editions of the Digital News Report (2018 and news has on their consumption. have gradually become more aware of the true source
2019) show that there has been a slowing and even of content and the value of quality journalism5.
reversing of the rise in the use of social media for Finally, there were areas of interest from the industry
news access in some key markets. Companies are conversation that it was vital to explore among younger Despite this, digital news accessed through social
also beginning to focus more on quality and payment. audiences: media and similar platforms continues to dominate.
Within this context, phenomena like the increasing But the extent to which young people truly value
awareness of hate speech and the spread of fake —— The relevance of the news agenda for younger the news they access there is up for debate. Other work
news or ‘malinformation’2 means audiences are placing audiences has indicated that young people often don’t truly value
greater importance on the value and quality of content the news they find on social media, which suggests that
—— Negativity and the news
- an emerging trend uncovered in a recent Flamingo their behaviour and habits don’t always align with their goals
and Synthesis study investigating fake news in Kenya —— The state of opinions in the news and ambitions (not surprising when we think
and Nigeria for the BBC3. of other areas of human habit misaligning ambition,
—— The tone of news feeling misaligned with such as diet or exercise).
younger people
—— The news not effectively using new formats, This work therefore set out to explore and understand
such as social media the audiences’ goals and ambitions in relation to news,
while crucially keeping in mind that the momentum
—— The state of trust in the news described above is only one part of the story.
—— The feeling that there is an overwhelming
amount of news
With so many different aspects to the initial research
questions, there was a clear need to have a way of
staying locked on the overall objective. To do this,
Flamingo devised a ‘goal-led lens’ for the many
questions to explore. In order to dig deep into how news
publishers and broadcasters can build longstanding
relationships with younger audiences, it was necessary
to explore and understand this audiences’ life goals,
values and ambitions in relation to news.
6 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media Background, Objectives & Methodology 7
Digital Digital In-home Friendship Semiotic
Tracking Diaries Interviews Trios Analysis6
2 weeks 3 days 90 mins 60 mins
3 Methodology Getting to this insight using
qualitative research presented a
(i) What people
don’t tell us
(ii) What people do tell us (iii) What people
can’t tell us
number of challenges. Given the
For 2 weeks, 16 of these Using all this 8 of those 16 Finally, news
cultural cachet tied up with news the smartphone individuals then data, profiles individuals were content – including
consumption, it was predicted that behaviour of 20 completed digital and personalised joined by 2 friends that taken directly
people wouldn’t always be completely individuals, split diaries. Using discussion guides after the interview. from the tracking
across the UK and an online app, were created for data – was analysed
honest about their news behaviours US, was tracked they captured each individual. This allowed for semiotically to
and habits. Moreover, habits often (with the informed information about exploration – in a ascertain what
and direct consent the news they The 16 participants real group setting is at play within
become so ingrained that people aren’t of each individual consumed offline, were interviewed – of the more social different formats,
even aware of them, or can’t remember taking part). on laptops, tablets about their wider side of news and content and tones
and phones as it goals, what they sharing, alongside in a way that people
them. Lastly, the average person Data on their digital happened, over the value in news, the responses to sometimes struggle
would find it difficult to articulate and online habits, course of 3 days. motivations behind different, more to articulate.
routines, web their behaviours and innovative formats,
what can practically be done by a activity, app time They also did a their perception of tones and content.
news publisher (format, tone, content) and social media short deprivation the news.
usage was gathered or saturation task:
to improve their offer. and analysed. based on key news
brands from their
A multi-faceted approach was needed to get beneath tracking, people
all the complex but interrelated aspects at play. either spent a day
The methodology used enabled full understanding without, or only
of the news habits and values of the audience in relation with, that brand.
to format, content and tone from three points
of view: (i) what people don’t tell us, (ii) what people
do tell us, and (iii) what people can’t tell us about
their behaviours and motivations.
Flamingo spoke to individuals in the
UK and the USA – market leaders for Age
digital news media and key countries brackets Gen Z Gen Y
of interest for the Reuters Institute
and many of its partners.
18-20 25-30
To capture age and generational
differences, the sample was broken 21-24 31-35
down into four age brackets that
roughly align with Generation Y
(Millennials) and Generation Z.
8 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media Background, Objectives & Methodology 9
I enjoy it being intertwined with social
media. I don’t have to actively think: ‘Oh,
let me check up on my friends and let me
check up on my news.’ I can do both at
the same time...Also I think it’s just more
interesting to see the news in the context of
my friends’ lives, and just see who is sharing
what posts, and why it’s relevant to them.
Maggie, 21-24, US
10 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media 11
4T
he Role Of This study was about audience
understanding, but with a specific
Key generational differences:
digital natives vs. digital migrants
What does this mean for the role
of news?
News For Young focus on particular behaviours. It was
The onslaught of articles, reports The core role of news, of allowing you to know
necessary to understand, at least at
Audiences a top level, who these people are and
and publications proclaiming noticeable differences
in attitude, values and behaviours between Gen Z
what is going on in the world, meets a fundamental
human need: to connect people’s individual world
what they are seeking from life before and Millennials suggests this could impact on what with the wider world.
constitutes ‘valuable’ or ‘engaging’ media.
it would be possible to analyse the role
news plays for them. Habits, after all, For the purpose of this research, the key generational
difference is that while some Millennials grew up with
are at least initially formed in order to some level of internet, the vast majority also intimately
achieve some reward, or goal, even know the world without social media or even email.
if we then lose touch with that original In this sense, they are ‘digital migrants’. Gen Z, however, The World my world
have only ever really known the digital world and are,
reward later down the line7. thus, the first generation of true ‘digital natives’9.
The goals and aspirations of the people involved in the study With this in mind, there were slight generational
were universal and somewhat basic. They included: saving differences that are interesting and helpful to keep in
money, buying a house, family, friends, creativity, kindness, mind, although they do not significantly impact the bigger
caring, being fulfilled and having new experiences. overall themes of progress and enjoyment. In this sense, it provides a basis to the social side of
humanity, playing an important role in communication
But when taken from the point of view of motivations and cooperation in a world where increasingly large
and values in news and media more generally, two key —— Gen Z, as digital natives, have even higher populations live and work together. Beyond this,
themes cut across all the goals and aspirations. Each expectations of a flawless, seamless, personalised engagement with the news is driven by a broader range
theme, in turn, has implications for the role of news. They online experience than Millennials. Convenience of needs and roles that it can fulfill in our lives.
play across much of the more granular understanding and instant gratification are hygiene factors. This
of how these audiences engage with and consume the isn’t to say Millennials don’t appreciate and value This research identified six core needs behind young
news and help to explain some of the changes observed. seamlessness but – having known a time before people’s engagement with the news. Reflecting the key
even a slow online world existed – perhaps they themes in the younger audience’s goals and ambitions,
The first theme is progress: goals, values and can be more forgiving. some news needs pull more towards progress,
ambitions here can be seen as personal development —— Gen Z appear to be a more transactional group than others toward enjoyment and fun.
and, to an extent, personal improvement through the experience-centric Millennials. We know DIY
the eyes of the individual. and collaboration culture is strong10, but this also
means they are resourceful and pragmatic; visibly
The basic ideas that sit behind it include: considering what they can get out of the different
—— I want to develop myself personally relationships and activities they adopt. The personal
utility of news is therefore seen in a particularly
—— I have goals I want to reach in my personal life
and my work life
practical sense; ‘how does it benefit me?’. Driven
by a more intuitive love for experience, we found
Progress
discovery and learning came across stronger
—— I want to escape the limits of societal
among the 25-35s.
expectations or stereotypes
—— Finally, perhaps due to their native
1. 2. 3.
—— I want to look after myself too Status Identity Learning
and proactive approach online, for Gen Z, control
over and curation of their online environment
The second theme is enjoyment, though it could just
is ever more important11.
have easily been called ‘fun’: the expectation is that in
a world of abundance and ease of access to things,
And while it’s possible that with age, work and
Enjoyment
this audience also wants to enjoy what they do.
responsibility this will evolve, formative attitudes toward
progress, enjoyment and digital technology will continue
The basic ideas that sit behind it include:
to impact these generations’ outlook and expectations. 4. 5. 6.
Connections Entertainment Passions
—— I want to enjoy my life
—— I want to have fun experiences
—— I want to be entertained
—— I want to do what I love
In his podcast, Philosophize This!8, Stephen West captures
both themes in his introduction to each episode, when he
says: “Thank you for wanting to know more today than you
did yesterday, and I hope you love the show.”
12 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media The Role of News for Young Audiences 13
News plays to a number of progress-related needs,
focused both on the self as well as our position in society:
Progress
1. Status 2. Identity 3. Learning
In different contexts news relates to a News helps you construct and News meets our desire to better
social standing. Knowledge is valued. communicate your identity. The ourselves through learning,
Being ‘in the know’ gives you gravitas news you engage with contributes to to explore and broaden our horizons.
and allows you to feel confident. defining and demonstrating who you It allows us to develop new skills
are, and your world view. and ways of seeing the world,
as well as to make savvier decisions
We Ed, 25-30, UK
and stay ahead of the curve.
Sam, 25-30, US
To feel knowledgeable about different
topics is one [motivation]. I think it’s part of my identity, quite Amy, 25-30, UK
honestly. I have friends who are very
obsessed with sports, for example, I see hard news as my daily source of
and I quite frankly couldn’t give knowledge on the commute to work
a shit about sports. Keeping up in the morning. I see the lifestyle
with that is part of their identity. news aspect that really helps me
Status Connections It’s who they are. For me, it’s the with my own personal development,
ability to intelligently talk about my interests, hobbies and basically
Brexit, for example. giving me knowledge and awareness.
Progress Identity Entertainment Enjoyment
But news also plays to needs related to enjoyment, which can be
just as inwardly focused as outwardly or socially focused:
Enjoyment
Learning Passions
4. Connections 5. Entertainment 6. Passions
News is the ultimate source of News, like media more widely, can be News also helps us fuel and
small (and sometimes ‘big’) talk that fun. Being immersed in other worlds pursue our passions and interests,
helps lubricate daily conversations. for pleasure, feeling inspired, enjoying or to experience things we wouldn’t
It allows you to confidently reach creativity, or simply – but no less usually in daily life.
out and connect with those who are importantly – just passing the time.
Me unlike you or have little in common,
Alex, 31-35, UK
as well as discuss with friends and
family. It delivers a wider sense Courtney, 21-24, US
of connection to the world at large. But it is primarily probably an
It’s all entertainment at this point. entertainment tool. Like it is probably
It’s not about being kept up-to-date a thing to fill that kind of interest
Michelle, 31-35, US with what’s going on in the world, it’s as well. In terms of entertainment
about, ‘This will keep me occupied,’ news, I actually look on the Empire
Sometimes people are talking about that sort of thing. magazine website because they have
it, like, ‘Oh yes, I read that today,’ daily film news, and things like that.
but I don’t know, I guess it’s a habit
for me. That’s probably why it started,
just to have a general knowledge of
what’s going on in the world, to feel
like you’re part of the world, or you
know what’s going on.
14 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media The Role of News for Young Audiences 15
Greater role of news isn’t translating Bridging the disconnect
into greater relevance for traditional
This apparent disconnect is possibly
news brands due to what each group considers to be the key
role and value of the news. A simplified way
The role of news – in its widest possible sense of looking at this would be:
(i.e. knowing about what’s going on in The World) – in
young people’s lives seems much greater than expected —— Traditional news brands see it as: what you
and at times felt even more pronounced than with past should know.
generations. As we’ve seen, the main role of connecting
—— Young audiences see it as: what you should
‘my world’ and ‘The World’ hasn’t gone anywhere, and the
know (to an extent), but also what is useful
news continues to meet a vast array of different needs.
to know, what is interesting to know,
and what is fun to know.
On top of this, in today’s digital world we have greater
access to more news sources, in more ways, more of
The role of news for young people appears primarily
the time. The world is increasingly globalised, which can
individualistic; it’s about what it can do for them
bring local stories from one continent to another in an
as individuals – rather than for society as a whole.
instant. And there is a greater breadth of what constitutes
And while it’s true that the industry is moving
news, given the explosion of social media, digital start-
toward producing more content of this kind, most
ups, blogs and influencers.
traditional news brands are still not associated
with being useful, interesting or fun.
There also seem to be ever more reasons to engage with
news. For a number of reasons, whether political, social
or due to ease of access and the constant conversation For this reason, a key way to increase relevance
online, it came across that there is greater pressure for among under-35s is to think about what they personally
everyone to be informed and to have a point of view on want and value from the news, and how news brands
everything. Perhaps there is therefore even greater utility can best go about delivering this.
of news in this broader sense of the term.
Bearing in mind the key themes of progress
But while there seems to be just as great a role and entertainment, there are three ways to drive
for news as ever for this audience, this doesn’t news brands in the right direction:
translate into greater relevance for traditional
1. Personal Utility: news that…
news publishers and broadcasters.
a. Is useful in my life
In fact, it feels quite the opposite. As we know, there
is intense competition for media, which is redefining b. Helps my personal development
what constitutes news and how it is delivered. In the c. Contributes to my status & identity
pervasive attention economy, news media is competing
for attention with myriad other distractions. There is d. Can act as social glue
also a great level of ‘background’ or ‘indirect’ exposure
2. Entertainment: news that…
to news (through social media, other online conversations,
documentaries and TV shows, etc.), which means that
while news still plays a role, there is less motivation
a. Is enjoyable and engaging to consume “Reddit for me is
to seek it out in its traditional spaces. b. Has high entertainment value
the portal to what’s
c. Has fun content and delivery
Finally, much of the excitement and gravitas
for younger people is on the periphery of the news 3. Point of View: news that…
happening, not just
space (infotainment, lifestyle, cultural, grassroots,
bloggers and vloggers). These are not traditional
a. Has a point of view or an angle on a story in the United States,
news brands’ areas of strength. b. Is clearly informed by facts (rather than
prejudice or agenda)
but around the world.”
c. Helps me develop my own point of view
d. Is different to predictable / politicised / extreme
opinion and ideology
Mark, 31-35, US
16 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media The Role of News for Young Audiences 17
5 News Habits
& Behaviours
Dedicated Updated Time-Filler Intercepted
Driving relevance of traditional news brands is
not as simple as delivering an entertaining point of view
that offers personal utility. Just as there are differences
Direct Indirect
in formats, tone and content, there are differences in
what is valued from the news depending on the moment,
the medium and the individual. By understanding “A fascinating new story about…” “What’s going on in the world today?” “Checking in to see what’s up” “Check this out!”
and successfully navigating these three variables,
news providers will be much better placed
to repeatedly generate resonant content that can build This moment is about This is about getting Not about the news A notification
engagement with under-35s.
dedicating time to the the key news updates per se; something to do or message intercepts
news, as you might you need/ want in an or to amuse, often while what was otherwise
Differences across news moments
a novel or TV series efficient way doing something else happening (working,
First, and perhaps the most often overlooked, on a third party platform watching TV etc.) either
is the impact of the news moment on what a person
is looking for in the news. Different routines, different
or in the real world. on social media, an
work lives and environments meant many types of news *Perhaps the most common for this audience aggregator or news app
occasions were observed throughout the study. but also the most competitive
While a classic news moment might be seen as
setting time aside to read the paper or watch the 10 Less common; suits evenings Often suits mornings; Constant throughout the day: Can happen anytime and anywhere
o’clock News, unsurprisingly the news moments for or weekends preparing for the day on the train, in the bathroom, as long as with their phone
this audience are not as one-dimensional. They range or taking a break etc. Whenever
there is time to fill
from the more often direct and targeted to a news brand,
to the more indirect and incidental.
Mindset: more introspective; Mindset: more something I feel Mindset: more something I do Mindset: passive recipient
deepening and developing I need to do; deliberately getting to distract / amuse; less proactive
Across the different sources of data, four key news
understanding in the know on what’s going on news consumption
moments – with accompanying mindsets – were observed. in the world
These different moments were evident in both markets. Value: news that ‘shows’ me, Value: news that ‘tells’ me quickly Value: pockets of news that Value: news that has collective
Different formats, tones and content will better suit the helps me develop or keeps me and easily seamlessly suit my ever-changing or personal resonance among
mindset, value and focus in each moment. For example, entertained, provides depth and divided attention my peers or wider society
an entertaining investigatory long read suits a ‘Dedicated’
moment, while a short visual summary of the day’s news Focus: quality analysis, nuanced Focus: time saving, information Focus: entertainment, curiosity, Focus: less easy as depends
suits ‘Updated’. An interesting short video is a good or developed POV, strong narrative, briefings and summaries of what timeliness, seamless, platform fit, on collective resonance but
‘Time-filler’, while a talking point headline grounded in engaging is happening fluid consumption is a key opportunity for brand
shared experiences suits an ‘Intercepted’ moment. exposure to new audiences
As well as influencing the type of news item that an
individual might be looking to engage with, these Anna, 21-24, UK Sam, 25-30, US Maggie, 21-24, US Joe, 18-20, UK
moments are also interrelated with where and how the
consumer is accessing the news (directly with a brand, I suppose my favourite way The [Economist] Espresso Eating is, sort of, a rest time to I’d say we do [share news
or indirectly through a third party) and therefore the of consuming news is my weekend is a daily news snippet app… catch up on my phone…So, in on WhatsApp] but I think a lot
medium (newspaper, social media, news app etc.). treat of buying the Guardian You go through, there’s an ad the mornings, while I’m eating, of it would be a news article
in print every now and then. there and then once you cycle sometimes if I’m in line somewhere and then following that, for the
through them all you get a world to get coffee, I’ll just take out my next two weeks would be memes
in brief…it covers a lot in a short phone and look up stuff there. If I’m and a load of p*ss-takes but
amount of time. early to a class, I’ll just look on my depending on the article.
phone before the class starts.
18 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media News Habits & Behaviours 19Media and Platforms: how young Observing digital behaviour Instagram is the primary app found on
audiences are accessing the news underlines the preference for social almost all phones and, when found,
media over news commanded the most daily minutes.
Young people use a plethora of different
platforms and media to engage with the news. Each News apps take a much more backseat No news app (with the exception
has its own role and relative merit. Together they create role both in terms of the number of phones they
a news ecosystem that sits across all four news moments. appear on, and the amount of time given to them when of Reddit) was within the top 25 apps
they do appear. We have listed the apps and topics used by respondents. When present,
in order of average amount of time spent on them.
The numbers on each app icon indicate how many
they represented comparatively small
phones that app was found on12. levels of daily usage.
Apps presented
are ordered by the
average number of
Dedicated Updated Time-Filler Intercepted minutes per day spent
on app (when present
on a user phone) 20 18 20 20
Direct Indirect Instagram Facebook Snapchat WhatsApp
PODCASTS
Usage
20 20 14
WEBSITES REDDIT & TWITTER W H AT S A P P Categories
Chrome Safari Twitter
YOUTUBE APPS S N A P C H AT
Web Surfing Social Media
N E W S PA P E R S A G G R E G AT O R S
17 14 14 10
TV I N S TA G R A M Youtube Apple Spotify Netflix
Podcast
RADIO FAC E B O O K Entertainment
20 14 19 19
Mail Uber Google Waze
Maps Navigation /
Communication Travel
Because of this complex media environment,
young people are looking for content and platforms
that allow them to seamlessly flow through the
digital space in an uninterrupted way. As expected, 11
social media therefore dominates people’s phones; Apple News
it is convenient to have all your online entertainment,
information and connection in one space.
. 2 1 1 2
Guardian Wall Street CNN Daily Mail
Journal
Number
of separate
phones we found
2 1 4 1
this app in New York Enquirer BBC News Reddit
Times
News
X
App name
20 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media How Young People Consume News and The Implications
NewsFor
Habits & Behaviours
Mainstream Media 21
21Social media dominates the Chloe, 31-35, UK
Snapchat Instagram
29.43% 21.72% platforms, to varying degrees
Literally, ease. You have it. You’re not actively searching
something or reading a screen. You’re letting it wash over
Now that we have seen how this audience is you. It’s also typically more of an outsider source of news
spending its time online, we can start to pick apart the or opinion, so you have a diverse range of news ideas and
different platforms and media that they use. thoughts from vastly different people; not your traditional
Individual 1 people who look and act a certain way.
Social Media has an almost unrivalled relevance
Twitter Fitbit Kik Google as it allows a less mediated experience. It also offers
13.21% 9.91% 5.55% 2.09% Mark, 31-35, US
opportunities to control and curate your own unique
news experiences. It offers a range of views from the
But radio you can’t control what shows are on,
BBC News professional to the layperson and an ability to engage
whereas podcasts you can.
Yahoo! MailPlatforms/Media In Detail
Platform/Medium Role Usage Pros Cons Role Usage Pros Cons
I N S TA G R A M An easy place Throughout the Colour, Not suited to W H AT S A P P A place to chat Throughout Intercept Click bait or fake
to see what my day, scrolling creativity, complex stories, with friends the day for moments, news
friends, idols, and sharing, but simplicity, news with & family, or communication shared interests,
passion areas for some it is not control of depth, for some coordinate humour
and the world a place for news content, not a place for groups
are doing, free consumable hard news
from agendas on platform,
people, human
stories, closer
to real news
YOUTUBE A hub for When there is Interviews, short Large number
pastime some time to documentaries, of short or
entertainment explore or watch newsreaders simplistic videos
FAC E B O O K An Scrolling but Specific and Fake news, or research
organisational less frequently trusted news click-bait, news
tool and place than before, brands that that tries to
for old friends or still strong can follow, get users off
family place for news, consumable platform, the
but engaging within platform worst aspects of
carefully and the news world PODCASTS Versatile Consumed Unlimited breadth Can require
less often here today gateway to every on-the-go of content (topics, a certain level of
than before imaginable type (commuting, POV, approaches engagement to
of content sports), - from amateur appreciate, lack
passively as to professional, of a clear trigger
background informative to to get into it
(while doing motivational to
work or chores), entertaining,
TWITTER A place to Throughout the Follow & Long pieces or sometimes broad to incredibly
seamlessly day whenever participate don’t work, as a dedicated specific). Audio
check in with there’s time or in unfolding content trying to moment / downloadable
what’s going on when there’s a of events, pull reader off format gives
in the world big development closer to real platform great versatility
/ breaking story news, people / of usage,
personalities, conversational
short videos / tone
images
NEWS APPS Efficient access Often routine Easy to use, Mimicking
to the news (gaps in day), feeling like newspapers,
REDDIT A place to Throughout the Conversation Disrupting I want but also as time- a timeline or difficult to
seamlessly day whenever and comments, the flow of filler (mainly for being seamless navigate layouts
check in with there’s time, short videos, the online those more into and intuitive to
what’s going mainly for users shareable items, experience, news) navigate, short
on in the world, into the news / trending and always trying day / week
giving the specific topics community- to pull user off summaries,
impression of areas endorsed stories platform tailorable
getting to what variety
really matters
without being
beholden to a
single source
S N A P C H AT A place to have Throughout the People news, Not for
fun with friends; day for trivial celeb news, hard news,
for young people entertainment human images, wordy news,
lists, simple, complexity
easy content
24 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media News Habits & Behaviours 25Forming News Habits & Behaviours The habits and behaviours of four
different types of news consumer
News habits and behaviours are often
the result of past, present and future influences. Through combined analysis of the tracking,
Role Usage Pros Cons digital diaries and ethnographic conversations,
N E W S A G G R E G AT O R S Efficient access (1) Active users Option to fully Diversity can Past numerous news routines (or lack of) and behaviours
to a breadth of to curate and tailor news narrow with started to emerge that corresponded with similar
What I grew up with: as with previous research14,
news access the news ‘pipeline’ OR usage (for attitudes. This translated to four fundamental types of
we found that what people grew up with had an
they are most completely active users), for news consumer that can be mapped across two axes.
influence over their news consumption. This is not
interested in effortless passive – too This is not about scale or statistical significance for
only their socioeconomic background, but also what
from the sources overview much news an audience set, but about exploring the richness of
brands their parents used and what news habits
they want; real world behaviours to get a sense of directionality,
they or their wider family had (both reactionary and
focus and understanding.
confirmatory).
(2) Passive
users as a way The two variables that form the mapping are:
to effortlessly James, 25-30, US the extent to which news brands form the epicentre
be served an of the individual’s news experience (self-led
overview of Probably [watch Fox] more because my parents to brand-led) and the level of engagement
news / check watched it. an individual has with news items in general
headlines (low consumption to high consumption).
Anna, 21-24, UK
News experience
We always got a newspaper at the weekend. I lived in
NEWS WEBSITE The (generally Can be used as All there in one Brand led walled a tiny little village and there was, like, a farmer that
unrestricted) an alternative spot, variety garden, formats Brand-led News-world: here, news brands are seen
dropped off the newspapers to everyone’s house but,
repository of the to apps, to take of formats, that should as the gatekeepers of news. They are accessed
again, it was The Guardian. So, I always, always read
full story dedicated time long-form be on social The Guardian, then, and now I read The Guardian now. to receive information directly, deliberately sought out
to read news, articles, short media, website on third party platforms, and are the instinctive point
to skim the summaries of UX or adverts of reference on a news story.
homepage for the day, images, that disrupt Present
an update, or explainers and seamless online
Who I am now: there are many possible influences Self-led News-world: the user sees themselves as the
in an intercept expanders, experience,
here but predominantly we found that people’s social gatekeeper of their news by engaging with what they
moment when a videos at the top laptop / PC deem relevant to them at that moment. Curated social
circle and their career had a major impact, both
link is shared of articles for experience often apps or aggregators generate updates from myriad
reactionary and confirmatory. Many people cite their
being shared on interrupted by sources that the user then (or at least perceives to)
social media other media / job as a reason for engaging with certain news areas
or sources. People’s current but malleable interests, interprets, navigates and selects what to engage with.
social media
passions and worldview also have a role to play.
Level of engagement
Clive, 25-30, UK
Low Consumption: Low levels of engagement
N E W S PA P E R A treat to focus Requires Quality Format not When I go to work and things are being discussed, with news items. Minimal or non-existent content
on and a break dedicated time journalism or a convenient for you don’t want to not be informed. engagement on recorded devices.
from the screen or can fill the grazing online all, not easy
time with free newsfeed feel to access, nor
papers for all news Future High Consumption: High levels of engagement
with news items. Regular and strong engagement with
moments
Who I want to become: people’s careers had a major news content.
role to play here too, not just what they need to know
now, but what they need to demonstrate they know in These two axes provide a way of interpreting the news
order to progress in the direction they are aiming for. habits & behaviours of the individuals we spoke to.
A sense of general life aspiration, career or not, also Combining this with the learnings from conversations
RADIO Something on in While doing Chatty, real Limited control
had a role here, as did people’s desired identity or enabled us to pull out four types of news users15. While
the background, other things or people, / choice, unlike
comforting through music POV, quick podcasts passion area to improve on. they unavoidably overlap – since they exist along a
stations’ news summaries on spectrum and are based on in-depth human qualitative
updates music stations Luke, 21-24, UK data – they prove useful in taking understanding of
under-35s beyond being seen as just one type of news
On the one hand, I have to read the news. It’s kind of user with one set of motivations and attitudes to the
essential, because I’m going through job applications, news. This therefore provides further detail and colour
for full-time jobs in finance, and it’s so important to be on how to better target this audience. It even has the
up-to-date with news. potential to impact what engagement means or looks
TV Something on in Irregular, Clear, concise Narrow agendas like for different people.
the background often driven by summaries, and lack of
or a catch up parents’ habits interviews and diversity All of this resulted in substantial variance among
or environment real footage the qualitative sample, within which it was necessary
from the ground to find common themes and drivers.
26 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media News Habits & Behaviours 27The four types of news
consumer
Brand-led Brand-led
The Heritage News The Dedicated News
Consumer Opportunity
Devotee Opportunity
Just like their parents and siblings, these users make Here is the greatest opportunity, These people have a routine, habitual appointment These people often already
a concerted effort to at least consume some of the as these people already operate with their primary news brand, and almost always have have a strong relationship
same traditional news brands that they grew up seeing. in a brand-centred news world, but a dedicated app that they use regularly, if not a browser. with a number of news brands,
However, making time for these in their busy lives is not just consume less news. Think how They have time slots during the day designated for news both primary and tertiary. A key focus
always possible, and sometimes feels like a chore that’s you can make it easier for them to consumption. They supplement this with exposure through will be to maintain that relationship
part of being an adult. Newer technologies, like podcasts consume news in their busy routines, social media, and have a number of other brands that they with quality news and a relevant
and social media feeds, are desirable as they’re kind often through innovative tech, rather regularly look out for, in case they have relevant content. agenda. But they also offer the best
to their packed schedules. than expecting them to suddenly make opportunity for payment. Think about
time for news. The more rewarding offering a benefit for payment in line
they find their small news ‘snacks’, with progress and fun, and consider
the more likely their appetite for how you can go beyond established
a full meal will grow. monthly subscriptions.
Low Consumption High Consumption
The Passive News The Proactive News
Absorber Opportunity
Lover Opportunity
People in this group are just not interested enough People in this group are just not Tech savvy and social media confident, these consumers There is no need to convince
to have any sort of regular relationship with news brands. that interested in relationships with take matters into their own hands, curating their this group of the rewards of news,
Instead they remain informed through collective osmosis news brands. But they do still feel feeds and aggregators to satisfy their needs. They are but consider how brands can offer
from their online and offline experiences, but dedicate a need to be informed about what’s committed to news consumption, and no doubt brand them more value. Their attitude is
little to no time to actively engaging with the news. When going on in the world. Find ways aware, but they assume responsibility for collating their that they are the curators, so help
something piques their interest, they search for it directly to raise the prominence and news, rather than delegating it to a brand. News content them do this. Think about content
and care less about the brand they choose. Due to a lack value of your brand in their media therefore competes with hobbies and social for attention. and formats that seamlessly fit into
of proactive use of their feeds, they are the most at risk world, with seamlessly absorbable They dedicate time for news, but it’s often news they third party platforms or are easily
of falling into an echo-chamber cycle. headlines, images or short videos. have found during the constant grazing on their feeds; compared with multiple sources,
And, in case they do a sudden bit consuming content as it appears or at a later time. This or that publish news and formats
of research, design content ready gives them an opportunity to have multiple relationships that feel like they are more directly
for this and have it on research with news brands, where each story competes for clicks in
from the source, like Twitter or
a given moment or earns more dedicated attention.
platforms, such as YouTube. Instagram personalities.
Self-led Self-led
28 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media How Young People Consume News and The Implications
News For
Habits & Behaviours
Mainstream Media 29The Dedicated News
Sam, 25-30, US
I have a regimen every morning where I get up, shower, brush my teeth and make coffee,
and then I sit down, I read Wall Street Breakfast and Seeking Alpha. The Economist has an aggregator
Devotee called Economist Espresso that gives you five stories and then a world in brief section. I read that,
then I listen to NPR Up First… then I go on the train and I read The Economist on the train.
They tend to have clearer news routines than others, though they still consume
news throughout the day on periphery and third-party platforms. They suit
dedicated and updated news moments but time-filling is always a constant.
Dedicated Updated Time-Filler Intercepted
—— Highest engagement with news brand apps
This group represents by Also, the highest levels for Major role even for this More likely to share than
—— Most dedicated to appointment news far the highest levels of this type of news moment. group; more likely to follow receive, but there is still
consumption this type of moment. They They have a primary news news brands on their feeds evidence that they click
access a primary news brand but will explore and so exposed to more through to stories that
—— Strong belief in the value of news brand as a default option, others. links. Opportunity for wider attract attention or diversify
but do explore others. and curated selection of exposure. But brand-led,
respected brands. so if a quality brand comes
(Less digital evidence for along, this is a chance to
this, as often occurs on trigger engagement.
computers, tablets or even
offline.)
Daily Mail App
Morning and Evening patterns. Routine and appointment.
Also regularly read The Guardian.
12 AM 12 PM
Well, I probably get most of my actual
Daily Mail news through Twitter. I think I follow BBC
Jan 22 11 min
News News, Sky News, Guardian. I don’t think
Jan 23 7 min I follow Mail, but often I might follow other
small sports publications and they might post
Jan 24 40 min about an interesting article and it might be on
Instagram their site, or another site, so often I might just
Social Media
Jan 25 no data
click through onto one of those. Sometimes I’ll
Jan 26 28 min click on it and have it open as a tab and not read
Jan 27 16 min it at that moment, I might come back to it on my
keypad later, for example.
Twitter Jan 28 25 min
Social Media
Jan 29 10 min
Jan 30 10 min Instagram & Twitter Apps
Jan 31 11 min Instagram and Twitter usage throughout the day.
Edward, 21-24, UK Edward reads The Daily Mail via the app every morning and evening. He
Feb 01 16 min
News brands play here, though not alone.
also looks up The Guardian online, mainly for sports, but doesn’t have The
Guardian app. He uses Instagram for entertainment and Twitter for up-to- Feb 02 14 min 12 AM 12 PM
date news, where he follows both The Guardian and Mail. He also uses The Jan 21 10 min
Feb 03 7 min
Daily Mail to fill time throughout the day; here it becomes exchangeable with Jan 22 24 min
podcasts, Twitter and Instagram. But if he has the time to settle into reading a Feb 04 15 min
few articles, he’d rather turn to something like The Guardian or The Sun online App activity throughout the day. Height of the peak represents
Jan 23 12 min
if looking for an alternative to The Mail. time spent (in 15 minute increments) Jan 24 60 min
The Daily Mail got the most use but he also looked up articles directly My main two are The Mail and The Guardian. Jan 25 28 min
on the Guardian, listened to NPR broadcasts (secondary news) and used We used to get The Mail at home as a Jan 26 87 min
Twitter as his primary ‘time-filler’. newspaper and obviously moving out of home
was a bit about, like, still trying to follow that Jan 27 84 min
kind of news. Obviously you can, via the app,
Jan 28 20 min
you can get on a more frequent basis.
Jan 29 7 min
30 How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media News Habits & Behaviours 31The Heritage News
James, 25-30, US
I usually get most of my news from Twitter. It’s just so easy, the way it’s laid out,
you can literally find anything in seconds. Other than that, Instagram and then
Consumer Facebook are pretty much next to each other.
Heritage News Consumers also live in a brand-led news world, but they’re
notably less engaged with the news in general. While they may have news
brand relationships, they often prefer easier ways of keeping up-to-date.
They use news brand apps and websites or look out for their preferred Dedicated Updated Time-Filler Intercepted
TV station, but not very often, and not for long. Social media channels are
considered more efficient for their time-poor life.
This group has almost no Recognises the importance This need for entertainment Sharing is part of the
time to do this. In most of staying up-to-date, they is the primary mode digital culture of this group;
—— Low engagement with news but when engaged cases, this type of use was just don’t necessarily enjoy through which they come it’s not unusual for them
they use news brands limited to once every few it. They have news brand across news. They follow to consume or send out
weekends. When clicking apps that they use semi news brands on places articles through messaging
—— Consider themselves time poor, have little time through to an interesting regularly, for very brief like Twitter and enjoy apps. These tend to be
story, they’re more likely to windows of time. a sprinkling of news along focused on news stories
for Dedicated moments be looking for the ‘topline’. with their other sources. with social capital and
activism, or ones that are
—— Belief in the value of news passed on through particularly amusing
upbringing or shocking.
BBC News App
Dedicated moments are short and somewhat forced
and randomised.
12 AM 12 PM
BBC News Get to the point and be concise. I think that’s, Usually, if I go on my phone I’ll
News unfortunately, the way it’s going really. Because Feb 2 2 min do a bit of everything and then
none of us have much time...The app I use most is come off and do something else.
Feb 3 1 min
BBC News. I know, also, everyone says that news I guess I do use social media
places are kind of one-sided, but I always feel like Feb 4 6 min apps a lot more throughout the
Buzzfeed they do give me an explanation I can skim through day… I’ll get bored. Then I go
Feb 5 3 min
News and find out what’s going on, as much as I actually over to Instagram and this is a lot
need to know without going too in-depth…I’ve Feb 6 1 min more, like, seeing what friends
always had the BBC, because I listen to BBC radio are up to. I follow a lot of tattoo
and have that app on my phone. Then, if my parents things on there and animals,
Vice watch news, it’s usually BBC news. food videos. Nothing really
News newsy comes up as much.
YouTube Safari Netflix Again, I follow the BBC on here
27.45% 14.88% 8.14% and sometimes I might go and
look through what else they’ve
got going on as well.
Ellie, 18-20, UK Self-described as a busy person with ‘a lot going on’, Ellie values the news
and staying in touch with what’s going on, but primarily as a functional Facebook
and not necessarily enjoyable act. She uses the BBC News app sporadically 4.41%
and also Buzzfeed and Vice apps. In all instances, she values things
that are quick, to the point and which she ‘can skim through and find JobSpotter Google Maps Twitter
out what’s going on...without going too in-depth’ and ideally fun. Most of her 11.32% 3.66% 2.86%
time is spent on Snapchat or Instagram. IMOB
3.66% Other:
A trifecta of apps provides multiple, if shallow, touchpoints with news. Podcasts BBC News
10.30% dealornodealYou can also read
