How news media organisations can engage the next generation of readers by delivering the news they want, on the platforms they trust, is the focus of this report.

Key subjects covered in the report include:

• How and why platforms matter
• Engaging and retaining Gen Z
• Gen Z in the newsroom

Featuring case studies from Germany’s Funke Zentralredaktion, The Australian, The Wall Street Journal in the United States, Norway’s Dagens Næringsliv, The News Movement in London, and The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia, the report shares what research shows about Gen Z and explains what that means for news media companies.

Author

Paula Felps is INMA’s Ideas blog editor and host of the weekly Live Happy Now podcast.

Who should read this report

C-suite at news media companies, and those in product, subscription, and reader engagement.

Detailed overview

To engage the next generation of news readers, it’s critical for news media companies to learn not just how to deliver the news Gen Z is looking for, but to deliver it on the platforms where they live while ensuring they’re represented in the newsroom.

“What Gen Z + Media Need From Each Other” explores:

• How and why platforms matter
• Engaging and retaining Gen Z
• Gen Z in the newsroom

The report shares what research shows about Gen Z and explains what that means for news media companies.

Using six case studies from around the world, and drawing on research from the Reuters Institute, Pew Research Center, and Borrell Associates in the United States, the report looks at what companies are doing to connect with Gen Z, explains how it’s working, and shares what they have planned to continue attracting this important audience segment.

Written by INMA Ideas Blog Editor Paula Felps, “What Gen Z + Media Need From Each Other” details three key takeaways in engaging Gen Z:

• Social media via their phone is a Zoomer’s preferred platform for news.
• This generation seeks authenticity and avoids crisis coverage.
• Engaging this generation means hiring them.

As Gen Z enters adulthood and becomes the next generation of news consumers, the old playbook needs to be rewritten for a digital-first world. This means understanding their platforms, like TikTok and YouTube, and their world view, which is more global and connected than any other generation.

Additionally, engaging the 25-and-under generation means hiring them. Including Gen Z in the newsroom requires creating a Zoomer-friendly work environment with collaborative workspaces, flexible schedules, room for experimentation, and continuous skill development.

Among the report’s case studies are Germany’s Funke Zentralredaktion, The Australian, The Wall Street Journal in the United States, Norway’s Dagens Næringsliv, The News Movement in London, and The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia.