New research from FT Strategies and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism sheds light on how young news consumers sift, consume and share news, providing a roadmap for news organisations looking to engage next-generation audiences.
The Next Gen News 2 report, supported by the Google News Initiative, draws on research from more than 5,000 survey respondents in the US, UK, Brazil, India, and Nigeria, alongside interviews with consumers and emerging news producers.
Next-generation news consumers are highly engaged with news but increasingly overwhelmed by the volume and complexity of information they encounter. The report builds on Next Gen News 1 with a revised framework – Modes of Engagement – that reflects how next-generation consumers encounter and interact with news:
Sift modes - three distinct modes of news discovery:
Scroll - encountering news incidentally while moving through preferred platforms
Seek - actively searching for news
Subscribe - receiving news from directly from sources signed up for
Consumption modes - how audiences engage more deeply with the news once they move beyond sifting:
Substantiate - verifying facts and credibility
Study - engaging deeply on a topic that has captured their interest
Sensemake - exploring different perspectives on complex topics
“Deepening our understanding of the Modes of Engagement is critical to better connecting with news consumers of all ages,” said Jeremy Gilbert, Medill Professor and Knight Chair in Digital Media Strategy. “The way that young news consumers engage is an important predictor of the future of the broader news audience.”
“The most effective news producers are rethinking how news is made and delivered in response to changing audience behaviours,” said Lisa MacLeod, Director of News at FT Strategies. “Next Gen News 2 shows newsroom and product leaders how these producers are successfully attracting and engaging next-generation audiences — and how established news producers can apply those lessons to remain relevant through 2030.”
Through interviews with news producers from non-legacy organisations, the report also highlights how they are successfully engaging younger audiences by aligning with how they discover and engage with news. It identifies practical paths for existing and aspiring news organisations to better meet evolving audience needs.
For more information, please contact: pressoffice@ft.com
Read the full report here: next-gen-news.com
About the FT Group
The FT Group, part of Nikkei Inc., includes the Financial Times and a number of other services that provide essential news and analysis for the global business community. The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of 1.6mn, while the wider FT Group has a global paying audience of 3mn across its portfolio of journalism, products and services.
About FT Strategies
FT Strategies provides the expert insight, integrity and consulting excellence required to transform businesses based on real-world, first-hand experience. We work together with our clients to deliver sustainable growth strategies, built on leading-edge capabilities that improve customer engagement, retention, revenues and profit. The FT transformed from a 135-year-old legacy print brand into a thriving digital model, and FT Strategies utilises this practical best-in-class expertise to help clients thrive in the digital economy.
About the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications
The Knight Lab is Northwestern University’s community of designers, developers, students, and educators. A core part of Medill, the Lab conducts audience- and technology-related experiments to push journalism into new spaces.