While media companies tend to focus on periodic major events like new releases, fans want a steady stream of engagement with their favorite personalities, teams, and series across multiple platforms. Studies indicate that fans travel freely among formats in search of new content and experiences to satisfy their intrigue. The latest Digital Media Trends report by Deloitte explores how media leaders can engage fans more completely. 

The explosion of streaming, gaming, and digital media has given consumers unprecedented choice, but has also splintered their attention. As competition intensifies, media companies are doubling down on subscriber retention and audience growth. Feeding fan enthusiasm is essential to that effort – because fans aren’t a niche segment; they’re the majority.

The value of fans

About 80% of consumers self-identify as fans, according to Deloitte’s survey of 3,575 U.S. adults. That means they are enthusiasts of at least one entertainment category such as sports, TV series, films, gaming, or music.

Fans aren’t just a majority – they’re also extremely valuable to providers based on behavior. Fans spend almost an hour longer using media and entertainment daily than non-fans. They subscribe to more services (including gaming, music, and SVOD) – and spend more money on those services.

Demographically, fans tend to skew younger and engage more widely. They average 44 years of age (compared with 58 among non-fans). More than half (55%) of all fans, including 70% of millennial and Gen Z fans, say their fandom spurs involvement across multiple platforms, services, channels, merchandise, and events.

Lost Opportunities

While providers focus on new releases, fans often turn to social media to feed their fascination – via creators, user posts, and studio marketing. Half of fans say they discover new entertainment primarily through social media – that figure jumps to 73% of Gen Z and 68% of millennial fans. Yet this “social media first” approach isn’t being fully addressed by media companies.

While fans often discover content on social platforms, they frequently consume it elsewhere, splitting monetization across different services. This disconnect leaves media leaders with little visibility into fan behavior.

Over a third of fans (36%) report relying on fan or companion podcasts to stay involved with their favorites. This means leaving the main IP. Losing fans between new releases means providers spend heavily rebuilding excitement. Providers that can nourish these scattered audiences within their own ecosystems stand to gain in ROI.

Aggregation is key

Keeping fans connected off-season starts by aggregating fan experiences. Media companies don’t need to own every fan touchpoint, but they do need visibility and coordination across them. Embedding experiences like social feeds, podcasts, commerce, or games around their IP, even if powered by partners, would keep fans engaged within a single environment. Many would welcome this: about 40% (and nearly half of Gen Z and millennials) say they want all content related to their favorite IP aggregated in one place.

About a third of fans report buying merchandise related to their fandom in the last six months – a figure that increases to 37% among those who want fandom content aggregated. Fan‑focused bundles could package exclusive content, products, services, and experiences into personalized subscription or membership offerings, creating new partnership and revenue opportunities.

Keeping fans within a unified ecosystem gives providers richer first‑party data to personalize experiences, boost engagement, and drive revenue. With fans – especially younger ones – willing to share data for better personalization, coordinated touchpoints can turn the off‑season lull into a continuous relationship.

What about AI?

Can GenAI drive further engagement without alienating users? GenAI can help media companies produce content faster, personalize experiences at scale, and connect fragmented interactions into a unified destination. Research shows that fans are increasingly open to AI‑generated recaps, highlights, and personalized digests. Many fans report being open to AI‑generated ads, recommendations, and co-creating content, opening the door to more interactive experiences and revenue avenues.

Almost 40% of fans say they would accept AI-created content on SVOD, social media, music services, and in video games – if it is clearly labeled. 27% of fans say they may be interested in AI‑generated personalized digests about their favorite shows, and roughly a third of sports fans would be open to AI-generated custom highlight reels and commentary tailored to their teams and athletes.

But these figures reveal most consumers still have qualms. Media companies who employ GenAI in new ways to target content must develop clear terms of service around transparency and privacy. Reassurance around responsible use of GenAI is wise considering rising awareness of AI harms.

Consumers aren’t the only ones worried– media companies have valid concerns about losing control of their IP with open GenAI tools. Features that let users become creators can pose a risk to brand integrity and security. Embedding features inside their own platforms – with guardrails, tracking and moderation – may help media companies foster fan creativity while still protecting rights and capturing value.

The future of fandom

Fandom has evolved into a dynamic, always-on ecosystem. For media companies, winning strategies will reflect the full spectrum of fan behavior, from discovery to community. Those that capture and sustain that engagement within their own environments will turn fragmented attention into lasting relationships and real business value.

The post How the shift from audiences to fans drives media value appeared first on Digital Content Next.

HUB Entertainment Research’s new report finds that viewers no longer treat social video as separate from television. They integrate it directly into their TV experience, with social and creator video increasingly becoming part of the living room screen. Among viewers ages 13 to 24, 54% say watching short clips on TV feels just as fun as watching longer shows or movies. Among those aged 25 to 34, that number rises to 63%. Even 39% of viewers aged 35 and older agree. In practice, the distinction between television and social video holds less meaning for many audiences. 

HUB’s findings align with DCN’s research, Decoding Video Content Engagement: Gen Z & Gen Y in Focus. Short form and social video are no longer peripheral channels. They function as core components of the media ecosystem and drive engagement, discovery, and loyalty. A video strategy that overlooks these platforms ignores how audiences actually consume content. 

Viewers treat YouTube as television 

YouTube plays a major role in how audiences watch video on television screens. Viewers increasingly treat YouTube as television rather than a separate category. When content appears on the TV screen, it feels intentional and immersive. It gains focus and legitimacy. It no longer feels disposable, even when the content runs only a few minutes. 

According to HUB, self-reported time spent watching social and creator videos remain steady since 2022. During the same period, time spent watching TV shows and movies declines by roughly two hours per week. This pattern shows how attention fragments across formats and moments. Social video fills time that once defaulted to linear viewing because it fits more easily into daily routines. 

Younger viewers feel conflicted but committed 

More than half of younger viewers say they spend too much time watching social video. At the same time, they describe it as easy, fun, and culturally relevant. That contradiction defines how many young audiences relate to media today. They recognize habit driven behavior but continue to value what social video delivers. Personality, authenticity, and immediacy keep social content appealing. These traits matter more than polish or production scale. 

Viewers who are 35 and older spend fewer hours watching social videos than younger groups. However, their usage grows faster than any other age segment. Social video no longer belongs only to youth culture. It increasingly attracts mainstream audiences, especially when viewed on television screens. For media companies, this broadens the opportunity to reach older viewers through creator driven formats. 

Creators shape discovery across platforms 

HUB finds that official trailers on social platforms influence nearly half of viewers when choosing new shows or movies. Short clips, recaps, and behind the scenes videos also play an important role in discovery. 

Discovery no longer starts with network promos or streaming homepages. It begins in feeds where audiences already spend time. Creators and algorithms play a central role in shaping audience attention. Viewers increasingly rely on feeds rather than schedules or homepages. They rarely start with the question of where to watch. Algorithms surface clips based on past behavior, social signals, and cultural momentum. What appears next often determines what they watch at all. 

Creators act as filters in this environment. Their reactions, edits, and commentary help audiences decide what content deserves time. A clip from a trusted creator often carries more weight than a traditional promotion.  

Social and creator video no longer sit outside the TV ecosystem. They influence how audiences spend time, discover content, and define value. Ignoring them means misunderstanding modern viewing behavior.  

Media companies are responding by partnering with creators, licensing social formats, and experimenting with distribution. These strategies reflect audience reality, not trend chasing. Winning attention means meeting audiences on the screens and platforms where they spend their time. 

The post Today’s TV is more than a mindset. It’s a strategic shift appeared first on Digital Content Next.

While the public generally feels comfortable with how they believe GenAI is currently used in journalism, concerns persist around its application to certain news-related tasks. Optimism about GenAI’s future varies by sector, with news and politics standing out as areas of skepticism.

The study also shows a growing adoption of GenAI tools, with trust in these technologies rising alongside user familiarity. As this trend continues, the advantage currently held by human news professionals may diminish, especially if news leaders fail to actively reinforce public confidence in the value of human-driven journalism.

GenAI in news and journalism

The percentage of those surveyed who are more comfortable with news produced entirely or mostly by human journalists has risen slightly compared to data from the previous year, while trust in news generated primarily or entirely by GenAI has fallen slightly. This indicates a growing preference for human leadership in news, presenting an opening for news executives to bolster public confidence. Across all six countries studied, a strong preference for human oversight in news prevails.

• 62% are comfortable with news made entirely by humans.
• 43% are comfortable with news produced mostly by humans with help from AI.
• 21% are comfortable with news produced mostly by AI with some human oversight.
• Only 12% are comfortable with content generated entirely by AI.

Comfort levels vary according to how AI is being used. Most participants are fine with GenAI use in checking grammar, spelling, and providing translation. They are less approving of use for research, writing, and data analysis. The public is decidedly disapproving of GenAI tools being used to rewrite content for different audiences, generate a realistic image when a photograph isn’t available, or create an artificial presenter or author.

Fortunately, people’s comfort level with journalists using GenAI for certain tasks is aligned with how often they think journalists are already doing so. It appears that most of those studied believe journalists are using AI in ways that they find acceptable, and few believe it is commonly used in the ways they would find most unacceptable.

While there are differences among the countries surveyed,news is trusted significantly more than the most widely used and trusted GenAI system, ChatGPT, in almost every country studied.

• In Denmark, 72% report trusting news while only 32% report trusting Chat GPT.
• In Japan, 60% trust news; only 31% trust ChatGPT.
• In the UK, 45% trust news; 20% trust ChatGPT.
• The USA and France have lower margins, with 36% of respondents from both countries reporting trust in news while 27% trust ChatGPT.
• Only Argentina reversed the trend – with 37% trusting ChatGPT- more than the 31% who reported trusting news.

It’s worth noting that ChatGPT was found to be the most trusted GenAI tool among survey participants. This means that the differences in trust levels would be even more stark if comparing news with lesser known GenAI tools.

Caution: Trust in GenAI grows with familiarity

Increase in regular use of GenAI tools is leaping rapidly. The proportion of survey participants who reported having used a standalone GenAI system such as ChatGPT rose from 40% in 2024 to 61% in 2025. Those reporting weekly usage nearly doubled in a year, jumping from 18% to 34%. So, if trust rises with use and familiarity, traditional news media could soon lose their edge in public trust when compared to GenAI tools.

Not surprisingly, younger generations were found more likely to both use and trust GenAI tools. 59% of people in the 18–24 age range reported having used any GenAI tool in the last week, compared to 20% of those aged 55 and up. However, that age gap is driven mostly by ChatGPT. Other GenAI tools, including Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Copilot, Meta AI, and Grok, had narrower use differences across age groups. This is probably because the later tools are embedded within widely used products.

Optimism about GenAI varies by use case

The public generally leans optimistic about the future of GenAI. Across all six countries studied, on average 29% are optimistic and 22% pessimistic about the impact of such technologies. However, the share of optimism versus pessimism varies by several factors. Pessimism outweighs optimism when it comes to GenAI use in news media, government, and politics. Optimism outweighs pessimism when it comes to GenAI use in health care, science, retail, and search engine efficiency.

• Only 18% think GenAI will improve their experience with political parties or politicians.
• 27% believe GenAI will enhance their interactions with news media.
• 37% believe GenAI will improve their interactions with health care professionals and scientists.
• 43% believe that GenAI will enhance their experience with search engines.

The lower levels of confidence in GenAI’s impact on politics and news suggests a perceived link between those areas. It also aligns with the stated preference for human-produced news.

The future of Gen AI and news

While this data provides some reassurance for news media leaders that the public values human news professionals, it also points to some areas of concern. As use of GenAI rises, so do comfort levels and trust in the utility of the tools, potentially eroding the advantage currently held by human journalists and producers.

To stay ahead and remain better trusted by audiences, news organizations should prioritize original reporting. They must differentiate their offerings from GenAI content and actively communicate these unique values to their audiences.

The post AI and news: Humans have the edge (for now) appeared first on Digital Content Next.

The report, by AI-native quantitative research platform Outward Intelligence, sheds light on the main factors shaping perception of poll reliability, including concerns around bias, objectivity, and transparency. The findings, based on a September 2025 online survey of 775 U.S. adults balanced demographically, provide valuable insights for media leaders to utilize towards improving both polling and communications practices.

Audiences still value polling

First, some good news. While reservations abound, the majority of those studied value high quality data, feel represented at least somewhat in polling results, and view polling data with at least some level of trust.

• Despite widespread skepticism, 65% of participants express at least some level of confidence in poll accuracy.
• 85% of respondents view high quality of polling data as either extremely or very important.
• An overwhelming majority (86%) believe polls represent their views “a lot” or at least “somewhat.”

In addition, most participants (83%) believe it is very or extremely important for leaders of media organizations, government entities, and businesses to heed public opinion when making decisions. Therefore, organizations that demonstrate quality public opinion research as well as utilization of results in guiding their practices could have an edge going forward.

Audiences lose faith

However, this research brings to light a variety of doubts and concerns. Nearly half of those surveyed say they often or very often question the validity of polling data. Over one third think polling has declined in quality over time. Certain issues seem to provoke even greater levels of cynicism:

• Election stress. 70% of those surveyed feel that election-related polls are correct only occasionally, or not at all.
• Artificial Intelligence apprehension. 83% voice concern over how AI might affect trust in polling, highlighting growing awareness around data integrity issues.
• Bias suspicion. 87% believe that organizations “spin” data for their own purposes – either sometimes (53%) or very often (34%).
• Underrepresentation concerns. Almost 90% of participants believe that polls leave out or underrepresent certain groups of people.

Over a third of respondents believe that polls are completely lacking in transparency. Almost a quarter of respondents don’t even believe that polls are conducted with “real people actually taking a survey.” Other notable concerns include inadequate sample sizes and unclear or poorly communicated methodologies.

Polling possibilities for media leaders

These findings offer media leaders the opportunity to shore up their polling methods and communications to foster trust. More transparency about how data is gathered, the representative nature of the survey pool, and the responsible use of AI in data collection and analysis are all areas in which organizations can increase their oversight and improve trust.

Based on this data, actionable steps media leaders can take to boost public confidence in polling practices may include the following:

• Improve transparency in polling coverage. Disclose methodology such as sample size, margin of error, and how participants were selected. Acknowledge what polls can and cannot predict, especially around elections. Minimize framing poll results to fit narratives, as audiences are sensitive to perceived manipulation.
• Educate audiences on polling fundamentals. Provide explanations that demystify polling processes. Use interactive formats such as infographics or Q&A sessions to show how data is gathered and interpreted.
• Address AI concerns proactively. Be transparent about how AI tools are used in data analysis and results reporting. Highlight the human oversight integral to editorial decisions. Consider publishing AI ethics guidelines for polling and data use.
• Champion methodological rigor. Partner with reputable research firms that adhere to high standards and ensure that polls include diverse and representative samples.
• Foster interaction. Invite audience feedback on polling coverage through social media, newsletters, or live forums. Use skepticism as a springboard for dialogue, acknowledging doubts, and responding with clarity.
• Position polling as a tool, not absolute truth. Frame polls as snapshots of sentiment, not definitive forecasts. Balance polling data with qualitative insights, such as interviews with individuals or community discussions.

Finally, demonstrating how public opinion is being taken into consideration when making decisions can instill more confidence in audiences going forward. Media executives who embrace these strategies can strengthen their credibility and trustworthiness. In a landscape where skepticism is high but demand for quality data remains strong, publishers who lead with transparency and integrity can deepen audience loyalty and differentiate themselves in the market.

The post The trust gap in polling – and how to close it appeared first on Digital Content Next.

A new study, From Cultivating Fans to Coping With Troublemakers: A Typology of Journalists’ Audience Relationships, examines how journalists and news organizations engage with audiences in today’s media landscape. Drawing on interviews with 52 German journalists working across traditional media, digital-native outlets, and innovation units within legacy organizations, the research shows that audience relationships are central to contemporary journalism and highlights how organizations are already adapting to these realities. Participants reflect a wide range of roles and beats—from politics and science to lifestyle and local reporting—and work across formats including print, broadcast, social media, and newsletters. Together, their perspectives offer media companies a broad view of how journalists navigate audience relationships across platforms, newsroom structures, and editorial contexts. 

Audience evolves from the general public to subgroups and individuals 

Journalists no longer address a single, monolithic public. Media audiences consist of diverse subgroups and individuals—from TikTok followers and newsletter subscribers to marginalized communities and local fans. Segmenting audiences, tailoring content to different platforms, and fostering loyalty within communities are now part of newsroom routines. 

Metrics, comments, direct messages, and live events make audiences more tangible than ever before. Publishers must balance real-time feedback with editorial priorities, using data to measure reach while maintaining journalistic independence. Interaction becomes an everyday part of reporting, providing both accountability and a sense of connection. 

The 11 types of audience relationships 

The study identifies 11 distinct audience relationships: service, representative, conversational, appreciative, community-oriented, coaching, demanding, inspirational, defensive, competitive, and antagonistic. 

Media professionals must move fluidly between these categories depending on platform, story, or context. Reporters may provide essential information in a service role or give voice to overlooked communities in a representative capacity. They may also foster conversational exchanges on social media and draw inspiration from appreciative feedback. At the same time, those same journalists may encounter demanding or antagonistic interactions that require resilience and adaptability. 

Different types of news organizations approach these dynamics in ways that reflect their focus and style. Community-focused outlets prioritize representative and community-oriented ties, giving voice to underrepresented groups and fostering shared belonging.  

Digital-native publishers lean into conversational and appreciative connections, particularly in interactive formats. Traditional brands continue to rely on the service relationship, while adding coaching or inspirational elements to strengthen loyalty. Challenging interactions, including antagonistic and competitive dynamics, are now part of the everyday landscape, requiring newsrooms to balance engagement with critique. 

Continuity amid change in the media industry 

The typology highlights practices that journalists and media organizations already implement. It provides language to describe the variety of audience connections and shows that these connections are not uniform. These connections can range from energizing to draining, collaborative to confrontational. Understanding this spectrum helps explain how journalism adapts across beats, platforms, and formats. 

Audience relationships influence distribution strategies, editorial framing, newsroom culture, and the emotional experience of journalists themselves. Far from undermining professional norms, these relationships add new layers to them. Objectivity, independence, and public service remain central, now practiced alongside relational skills that emphasize empathy, resilience, and adaptability. 

For journalism, this is not a departure from tradition but an expansion. Media organizations no longer serve a passive audience. They operate in a landscape where interaction, segmentation, and emotional labor are embedded in everyday practice. By articulating these dynamics, the research illuminates how journalists manage diverse relationships. It also shows how organizations integrate these practices into their strategies. Finally, it highlights how journalism continues to evolve while sustaining its core mission of serving the public. 

The post Rethinking audience relationships in the media  appeared first on Digital Content Next.

How we deliver news can play a crucial role in why audiences return. Live, interactive news formats are more than a content style. They are also a tool for rebuilding trust, deepening engagement, and strengthening the bottom line.

Trust is fragile, but fixable

This year’s report confirms an ongoing crisis of trust in news. Yet it also offers a glimmer of hope. Encouragingly, 38% of people say they turn to trusted news outlets first, while only 14% go to social media. This reinforces what we’ve long believed: audiences want credible information, but they want it delivered in a way that fits the fast-paced, mobile-first world they live in.

Live blogs and real-time updates play a crucial role here. By showing how information is gathered, when it’s updated, and who is reporting it, live coverage inherently encourages transparency. It’s a format that invites accountability and provides a natural space for in-context fact-checking, source attribution, and even conflict-of-interest disclosures.

Süddeutsche Zeitung saw seven out of its 10 most-read articles in 2023 come from live blogs. They use the format not just to update but to explain, embedding transparency cues and structured fact-checks within its real-time coverage. FAZ achieved over 8x longer retention rates on live blogs than traditional articles: proof that real-time transparency helps retain trust and attention.

There’s also an untapped opportunity in building meta-coverage—live blogs that relate to the reporting process itself. Who broke the story? How was it verified? What questions are still open? During the 2024 U.S. election, Der Spiegel deployed a collaborative newsroom effort, where 33 journalists contributed to a single live blog. Readers could see not just the unfolding story but the multi-perspective editorial process in action. The approach blends speed, transparency, and team-driven insight in one coherent stream. This kind of behind-the-scenes work can help restore confidence in an age of skepticism.

Instant, micro-content

Another key finding from the Reuters report is the growing demand for shorter, more accessible formats, particularly among younger readers. At a time when many consumers feel overwhelmed by endless scrolling and algorithmic content streams, live blogs offer something different. They offer a coherent, time-stamped narrative that delivers key facts quickly, yet with enough context to foster a deeper understanding.

Unlike social media snippets, live blogs are built around editorial judgement. Unlike long-form articles, they’re agile and responsive. They give audiences real-time coverage of politics, sports, and community events on one coherent platform.

For example, during election nights, we’ve seen publications use live blogs not only to report results but also to explain shifting trends, share expert commentary. They also link to explanatory articles—all within one feed. It’s the ideal format for audiences who want to stay informed without being overloaded. A powerful example comes from Stears in Nigeria, which garnered more than 10 times the traffic on its live blog compared to its standard articles during the 2023 elections.

Interactive news as a differentiator

Today’s audiences don’t just want to consume the news; they want to engage with it. Interactive news is the answer. The Reuters report shows increasing interest in formats that allow for interaction and explanation, especially among younger and more skeptical readers.

Live blogs are ideal for interactive features like reader polls, Q&As with journalists and experts, and moderated comment threads, all embedded directly into the coverage. This turns passive readers into active participants and reinforces the human side of journalism.

This is part of a broader trend. For instance, Stuff in New Zealand regularly engages readers through polls and live Q&As. Its Met Gala coverage received over 1,000 reader responses, while Taylor Swift ticketing coverage triggered more than 400 comments in real-time. These aren’t just passive metrics; they reflect an audience eager to feel part of the conversation.

Sustainability and innovation

For publishers facing revenue pressure, these formats aren’t just good for engagement, they’re good for business. Customizable, brand-integrated live feeds open up new opportunities for native sponsorships, affiliate placements, and reader subscriptions. They also drive reader loyalty through habitual check-ins and notifications.

At regional German paper Westfälische Nachrichten, the paywalled soccer live blog achieved a 7.3% subscriber reach—a particularly strong result that demonstrates how high-value, recurring live formats can support subscription strategies. Whether it’s covering a local election or a global sporting event, live blogs are proving to be not just editorial assets but commercial ones.

A strategic roadmap for newsrooms

If there’s one clear takeaway from the 2025 Reuters report, it’s that format is strategy. As automation and AI transform the backend of journalism, publishers must also reconsider the front-end user experience.

Live blogs offer a versatile way for publishers to respond to today’s challenges. By prioritizing transparency and making editorial processes visible in real-time, they help reinforce trust with audiences who increasingly want to understand where their news comes from. At the same time, features like multi-reporter collaboration, easy formatting, AI-powered tools, and partner integrations make live blogs more efficient for editorial teams, allowing them to focus on what matters most: delivering compelling, real-time storytelling. They also meet the growing demand for bite-sized, easy-to-navigate updates, providing a clear, chronological narrative that cuts through information overload.

Crucially, live blogs also create space for deeper engagement. Whether through interactive Q&As, embedded polls, or moderated comments, they transform readers from passive consumers into active participants. And from a business perspective, they unlock new value through repeat visits, increased dwell time, and formats that are ready for sponsorship or brand integration.

Trust isn’t just built on accuracy; it’s built on experience. Audiences want news they can believe and a format that respects their time, attention, and intelligence. With the right tools, publishers can deliver both. Live, interactive news won’t solve all of the industry’s challenges, but as this year’s Digital News Report makes clear, it’s a critical piece of the puzzle, and one that’s ready to scale.

The post Live, interactive news: real-time trust and real-world impact appeared first on Digital Content Next.

News literacy advocate Hannah Covington highlights this behavior in an article detailing her conversations with teens about conspiracy theories. Sixteen-year-old Andie Murphy, for example, deleted Instagram over concerns about AI-driven data collection. Once a regular consumer of influencer content, she now checks multiple professional outlets before accepting information as accurate. “I just couldn’t trust what I was seeing anymore,” she said. Her shift reflects a broader change in how Gen Z engages with news.

Recent 2025 studies reinforce this news trust trend

Research from Raptive supports this noted shift in Gen Z’s relationship with news and information. Their study finds that 49% of Gen Z actively verify online information by checking trusted, credible sources, while 55% say they trust content from established experts over influencers or peer posts. Notably, 39% view social platforms as less credible compared to open-web sources. These findings reflect a generation that is not only skeptical, but also intentional in its pursuit of accurate information.

According to the Poynter Institute, while teens may not frequently use dedicated news apps, they actively seek out reliable sources like CNN and the Associated Press during moments of uncertainty. About 20% of surveyed adolescents say they encounter fake news daily. However, many report that they turn to trusted news outlets when crises hit.

Similarly, Common Sense Media found that teens are increasingly wary of digital content, especially AI-generated material. In its 2025 research, teens express deep skepticism toward manipulated images and videos, with one respondent noting, “I already doubt everything I read online.” This mistrust is driving more teens toward professional journalism for verification and reassurance.

Peer fact-checking reinforces news habits

Covington’s reporting also highlights how peer influence reinforces this fact-checking culture. In school libraries and hallways, students openly challenge each other around misinformation. These real-time corrections help shape a community that values accuracy and critical thinking. For Gen Z, information vetting is becoming a social skill.

While teens may not engage with mainstream media daily, they don’t dismiss it. Covington’s interviews confirm that students return to professional news brands when a story feels urgent or emotionally charged. “If it’s big enough, I’ll check real news sites,” one student explained. That behavior underscores an important truth: for Gen Z, trust in established news sources and journalism often reactivates in moments of crisis.

This pattern aligns with Common Sense Media’s findings, which note that teens are eager for tools that help them navigate digital uncertainty. While skepticism runs high, so does the demand for guidance. Likewise, Poynter’s research shows that even teens regularly exposed to misinformation seek clarity from reputable sources during confusing or high-stakes events.

Gen Z’s relationship with news is complex but far from disengaged. They are critical of what they see, cautious about interpreting it, and selective in who they trust. When news matters, especially during confusion, fear, or grief, they turn to professional journalism for clarity. Their behavior suggests a desire not just for content, but for credibility. In a noisy and uncertain information landscape, Gen Z continues to seek out trustworthy news.

The post Gen Z is skeptical and selective of news – but still engaged appeared first on Digital Content Next.

This generational divide marks a dramatic shift in how Gen Z accesses information, driven less by traditional brand loyalty and more by personality, convenience, and platform-native content. For digital media leaders focused on long-term sustainability, understanding these behaviors is critical to developing meaningful engagement strategies. 

Research signals a strategic inflection point 

Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2025 offers a detailed look at generational dynamics in news consumption and preferences. The data shows that young Americans increasingly discover news through influencers and podcasters. Twenty-two percent of respondents under 35 reported encountering news via Joe Rogan in the last week. These audiences over-index on video platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where personality-driven content outpaces institutional journalism in both reach and resonance. To address this preference, the report encourages journalists to use their authentic voices to initiate direct engagement through video storytelling on social media platforms. 

Creators, not channels 

Social platforms now play a central role in Gen Z’s news discovery. Reuters’ report finds that Gen Z consumers in the U.S. are turning toward creators who blend news with humor, commentary, or lifestyle content. Figures like Brian Tyler Cohen and Megyn Kelly attract strong attention from younger audiences and show that Gen Z places trust in personal relevance. Among U.S. 18–24-year-olds, traditional news websites and apps rank fourth in importance behind social video, TV, and podcasts. 

This shift is not simply about platform, but about form. Video continues to gain ground as the preferred way of consuming news, particularly among Gen Z. In the U.S., news video consumption is at 72% in 2025 for all U.S. adults from 55% in 2021. Much of this growth happens on third-party platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, not on news websites. Prioritizing video formats that are concise, authentic, and visually native to social platforms is essential to reaching Gen Z. These elements form the core of the Gen Z playbook for tone, pace, and relevance in news consumption. 

DCN’s recent research, How Gen Z & Gen Y Are Redefining Video Engagement, reinforces these findings with first-party behavioral data. The study shows that Gen Z strongly prefers video that is purposeful, short-form, and mobile-native—and that attention is earned, not assumed. Their engagement habits mirror the Reuters data: trust, relevance, and entertainment value must converge, particularly on platforms where news must compete with a broad spectrum of content. Together, these reports confirm that journalists who attract younger audiences must match their editorial voice with platform-appropriate formats, both in feed and in mindset.

Podcasts and personal connection 

Audio is also proving a powerful entry point. The report shows that 15% of Americans now consume news podcasts weekly. These podcasts increasingly appear as videos, giving publishers a dual-platform opportunity to repurpose content across YouTube and TikTok. For Gen Z, podcasts provide a sense of intimacy and connection, qualities that traditional news outlets often find hard to convey. 

AI and news personalization on the rise 

Because of the way in which young people seek out news (particularly in the era of AI-agents and search), personalization is becoming a focal point. This isn’t simply about novelty; it’s very much about functionality. The report points out that young audiences respond to tools that help them summarize, translate, and interact with news on their own terms.

Gen Z turns to the news they trust 

Despite a fragmented information ecosystem, the report reveals that Gen Z still values accuracy and verification. When asked where they go to check if something might be false, young people are still likely to name trusted news brands, especially public service media. They are less likely to rely on social media, AI chatbots, or peer comments when verifying information. This underscores an important point: trusted brands did not disappear. However, many media brands need to be reintroduced in formats that fit Gen Z’s media habits to become a regular part of their information diet. 

Gen Z’s relationship with news reflects a deeper shift in how trust, relevance, and engagement are earned today. Their preferences include short-form video, podcasts, creators, and AI-powered tools. These choices are not a rejection of journalism but a reimagining of how it fits into their lives. This generation still values core principles like accuracy and verification. They simply expect those values to show up in formats that feel personal, accessible, and native to their platforms. 

The post Get to know Gen Z’s news habits to build future audiences  appeared first on Digital Content Next.

This has been especially true for broadcasters. Where once their competition for video content might have been a handful of terrestrial channels, they now compete for time and attention with digital video platforms. That has led to concern among commercial broadcasters, as advertisers seek to reach those younger audiences – often at the expense of ad spend on traditional broadcast channels.

Globally, media buyers GroupM predict that linear television revenue will decrease by 3.4% over the course of 2025 as ad spend shifts over to streaming television. And, while linear TV still accounts for a significant portion of viewing, streaming is nearly equal. Millennials and Gen Z viewers are driving the move toward streaming and social video platforms, favoring the flexibility to watch content on-demand and across devices. These factors put pressure on traditional broadcasters to accelerate the shift to digital-first strategies that will satisfy audiences and advertisers alike. 

Programs and priorities

The form of video content audiences choose to watch has been altered by new platforms. Short-form video has become the standard for many viewers, particularly those who are spending increasing amounts of time on platforms like TikTok. That’s especially true for younger viewers: fewer than half of Gen Z viewers in the UK watch broadcast television. The 48% that do spend roughly three times as much time watching video on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. In the US the trends are similar: TikTok has roughly ten million more users than linear TV in the Gen Z demographic.

In particular, YouTube is too big for broadcasters looking to recoup those audience and revenue shifts to ignore. When it comes to competition, the video-sharing platform is now literally encroaching on traditional broadcasters’ territory: as of earlier this year more time is spent watching YouTube on TVs as on users’ phones.

That has led to radical shifts in production and distribution strategy. So, how are major broadcasters keeping up with those changing audience habits – and using their expertise to stay ahead of the pack when it comes to taking advantage of new platforms – YouTube in particular?

YouTube: A channel for video discovery

Ashley Hovey is Chief Digital Officer for the CW Network. She explains that YouTube is a priority for the company as it seeks to create new means by which audiences can discover its programs: “YouTube is a part of the broader fragmented media ecosystem, which plays a role in driving audiences that can complement our [owned and operated] platforms. YouTube is a great place for discovery and sampling, while owned properties can drive deeper engagement and brand advocacy.”

That speaks to the need for broadcasters to approach YouTube in a way that does not cannibalize existing video audiences or ad revenue. Despite the headlines, traditional broadcasting still attracts a vast amount of ad spend overall. Thus, it is vital to protect that revenue as broadcasters experiment with new platforms.

A Channel 4 spokesperson affirms that the strategy is to find complementary audiences on the platform, rather than migrating existing audiences over: “The audiences on YouTube are additive. So, it is a great way to direct people to content that we think they’ll enjoy and engage a larger, younger-skewing audience.

“We experiment heavily with the great data that YouTube generates. It is at the heart of everything we do. On YouTube, video distribution and views are as reliant on algorithm science as they are an entertaining format.”

As a result, that discovery flows both ways: through the use of YouTube’s tools – designed specifically for digital distribution – broadcasters are able to find out more about their audiences online. That informs not just ad sales, but commissioning strategy as well.

BBC Studios is the commercial subsidiary of the UK’s first public broadcaster. Its Digital Commercial & Partnerships Director Anaïs González Espinosa explains: “Through the YouTube Content ID tool, we’ve also been able to only not protect our content, which is very important for us, but also use the data as a demonstrator of consumer demand to inform our content pipeline and some of the choices we make.”

Space to experiment

For many broadcasters, YouTube is also a staging ground for new formats. That can range from content specifically created with digital video in mind – such as Channel 4’s upcoming “social-first short-form channel focused on cooking and food.” It also offers an opportunity to repurpose existing content.

Some broadcasters, for instance, upload entire episodes of their stock of programming to YouTube. That can be entire season, series, or “taster” episodes designed to entice viewers to seek out the rest of a season on their owned-and-operated channels. Others, meanwhile, create short highlight videos with the same goal in mind, but geared towards short-form social sharing.

The Channel 4 spokesperson shared that “One area we saw go from strength-to-strength in 2024 was full-episodes on YouTube, with an increase of 331% for UK views in the first nine months of 2024. Key titles that pulled in audiences were entertainment series… and documentaries including Click for Murder and 60 Days on the Estates, plus made for YouTube shows such as Minor Issues and Tapped Out.”

Compared with broadcast television, in which audiences were largely separate, watching from their own sofas, YouTube and other digital video platforms allow more opportunities for viewer interaction. Taking cues from livestreaming specialist platforms like Twitch, YouTube has prioritized live audience chat alongside much of its content. Espinosa says: “We use posts and community tabs to engage with our fandoms, enhancing their experiences with our content on the platform. Views are important but engagement on YouTube is key to success.”

Hovey confirms that the CW Network is also set to experiment with those “live” features soon, as a result of the increased engagement it can deliver.

However, she also notes that the platforms’ other creator-led features allow for experimentation with distribution: “The CW tests out new YouTube features depending on the content type. For example, we use the Thumbnail Test & Compare feature for our sports clips. This allows us to test different thumbnail designs for WWE matches and NASCAR races and helps optimize overall watch time for both.”

With YouTube’s increased focus on AI to translate its content to other languages, and further changes to memberships on the platform on the horizon, there is plenty of scope for broadcasters to continue experimenting. And thy have the added advantage of not needing to invest in those tools themselves.

Considered and careful

Traditional broadcasters, then, are approaching YouTube with both commercial and audience considerations in mind. The platform itself is too big to ignore. In fact, there would be an opportunity cost to not at least have a presence on it.

However, what is especially apparent in 2025 is that broadcasters are being highly considered when it comes to YouTube. It is a competitor for ad revenue, but also a collaborator when it comes to discovering new audiences and new opportunities for engagement.

As a result, broadcasters are constantly reappraising their strategy for publishing to the platform, as ad spend continues to shift and new tools and formats emerge. With the rise of features such as content locked behind memberships and in-app merch stores on the platform, broadcasters have access to new revenue and engagement models via YouTube – and are finding ways to do so without diminishing their opportunities on more traditional platforms.

The post Broadcasters take a considered approach to YouTube appeared first on Digital Content Next.

Here are examples of how several media companies are integrating ethical AI best practices into their operations to build trust and accountability with audiences and advertisers.

Transparency and disclosures

As readers become more aware—and skeptical—of AI’s role in content production, they expect transparency about where and how AI is involved. Developing a disclosure strategy helps audiences better understand the context around AI’s role in producing content.

The Associated Press publicly shares its AI standards and policies and discloses its intent to use AI to improve the quality of its work, while adhering to strict standards for accuracy. The policy also highlights the importance of human oversight in all aspects of content production.

USA Today adds disclosures when AI is used to write summaries or “Key Points” at the top of select articles. The disclosures state that the content was AI-generated and reviewed by a journalist before publishing. USA Today also includes a link to the publication’s ethical conduct policy with the disclosure.

Bias, balance, and fairness

AI models train on a variety of online content. If biases exist in these sources, these biases could be included in AI-generated output. Media companies are creating ways to identify and minimize bias and making these processes public.

The Guardian developed a statement to share how it’s minimizing bias including a working group to discuss ways to prevent bias and develop company-wide policies. The statement also explains how it integrates human oversight into its AI processes.

National Public Radio (NPR) added a special section on AI to its ethics handbook to encourage journalists to identify and counter bias inherent in these tools. The section also emphasizes the importance of providing transparency about how AI is used and discussing questionable output with editors.

Training and education

As AI technologies and best practices evolve, regular training ensures teams stay informed and continue to uphold ethical standards.

Radio-Canada launched a comprehensive AI literacy program to provide a foundation for its staff’s implementation and understanding of AI. The program includes a foundational training session to provide an overview of AI concepts and ethical considerations as well as follow-up workshops focused on practical applications. The company also developed a cross-functional group that includes developers, analysts and journalists to meet bi-weekly to discuss AI developments and share ongoing projects. Since its inception, more than 100 staff members have participated in the training program.

The New York Times implemented a training program that outlines how AI should be used and includes editorial guidelines, use cases and sample prompts. The company also developed an internal team to explore how AI can be applied to newsroom processes.

AI ethics and the broader media ecosystem

Marketers and advertisers are also placing greater focus on ethical standards. The Institute for Advertising Ethics recently released its AI Ethics Toolkit, designed to help buyers navigate the responsible use of AI.

Media organizations can’t slow their pace of innovation. They need to experiment with and implement technologies while ensuring that they keep audience trust at the forefront. The growing focus on ethics across the broader ecosystem signals that publishers who adopt transparent, responsible AI practices will not only build audience trust but also strengthen their position with advertisers seeking accountable media partners.

The post Ethical AI in action: strategies to build audience trust appeared first on Digital Content Next.