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Next Gen News 2

More than half of next-gen news consumers engage with news at least daily, even though they also report feeling overwhelmed by a flood of news and information. We've found evidence of how next-gen news consumers navigate a complex, fractured news ecosystem. We've also seen how successful emerging news producers meet the needs of these next-gen news consumers.

We conducted quantitative and qualitative consumer research across five countries (Brazil, India, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the United States), with 1,000 people in each country. We also conducted interviews with news producers from around the world who are successfully adapting to changing consumer behaviours.

What’s inside the report

  • How next-gen audiences discover news today: from scrolling and seeking to subscribing, and why distribution now shapes engagement.
  • The expanded Modes of Engagement framework: seven distinct ways audiences sift, consume and socialise around news.
  • What trust really means to younger audiences: how credibility, affinity and transparency are earned in a fragmented ecosystem.
  • The impact of content overload and AI: how audiences manage overwhelm — and where human journalism still matters most.
  • Real-life success stories: how organisations, including Spotify, The New York Times, The Guardian and Morning Brew, succeed across platforms, formats and audience modes.

 

A practical framework for audience engagement

The Modes of Engagement framework outlines the different ways next-generation audiences discover, consume and share news. It recognises that audiences move between modes depending on context and intent, and offers a practical lens for designing content, products and distribution strategies that reflect real audience behaviour.
 



 

Engaged, but overwhelmed 
 
Younger audiences are not disengaged from news, but balance regular use with selective avoidance. Across all five markets, more than half engage with news at least daily. At the same time, they report feeling overwhelmed by the volume of information they encounter and the effort required to keep up. 
 
This tension shapes how audiences engage. Rather than consuming everything, they actively decide when news deserves their attention, how deeply to engage and which sources to trust. Understanding this balance between engagement and overload is essential for designing news experiences that feel relevant, manageable and worth returning to.
 
 
Next Gen News 2 brings together global audience research, practical frameworks and real-world case studies to help news organisations better understand how next-generation audiences discover, engage with and value news. Download the full report to explore the findings, frameworks and recommendations shaping how journalism can meet audiences’ needs through to 2030.