The more things change…

This week, the annual Digital News Report for Australia was released.

It’s a yearly opportunity for much hand wringing, room temperature takes, and LinkedIn slop. So much LinkedIn slop.

The headline stat was that 60% of Australians aged 18-24 have never used a newspaper, with the most surprising thing about that being 40% have. 

Young people are also paying for news at not only significantly higher levels than older people (41% of 25-34s, 27% of 18-24s, and just 16% of 65 and older) but at far higher rates than the global average, which is just 34%.

If this offers a glimmer of hope against the increasingly ubiquitous perception that young people are embracing nihilism in response to an unfair and rapidly changing world, that can only be a good thing. 

Other highlights include overall interest in news and consumption of news rising sharply in recent years, and a shift towards social media and influencer-led news, with plenty saying they found it to be more entertaining, relatable, and easier to understand.

It’s easy to see this as a major shift in news consumption. And while the model for publications has changed radically, and continues to do so, many of these findings are simply a continuation of long-running trends.

We have, for example, always gravitated towards individuals as sources of news. Sought after print journalists were replaced in many people’s affections by TV nightly news anchors, who are now being replaced by personalities on smaller screens. 

Equally, the idea of younger people becoming more engaged in the world around them as it becomes tougher, less equal, and harder to navigate is nothing new. Nor is paying for a product you value.

When you’re inside the comms bubble, it’s easy to see every minor change as a major earthquake, especially when there’s LinkedIn content to post. But it’s reassuring to know that even as channels change, our behaviour remains reasonably consistent.