Young audiences are engaging with news in growing numbers, and for the first time, Australians under the age of 35 report greater interest in politics than older generations.
The Digital News Report: Australia, a longitudinal study that has been tracking news consumption for more than a decade, shows a shift in how younger generations are accessing and making sense of news.
However, it is not mainstream media they are turning to. Traditional news sources are being bypassed: 60% of people under 25 have never read a newspaper, and more than half (53%) have never listened to news on the radio.
Instead, they encounter news in digital and mobile environments, often incidentally: 71% of under 25s access news on social media and nearly half (48%) of them get news on TikTok. An overwhelming 89% watch news videos via online and social media platforms.
This generational shift is not just about platform choice. It is redefining what news is, who delivers it, and why they are paying for it. News is no longer something people deliberately seek out at set times. It is embedded within everyday scrolling, sharing and entertainment.
This creates a more fluid relationship with news that is driven by algorithms, social networks, and personal interests rather than routines established by mainstream news outlets.
More sources and greater willingness to pay for news
Young Australians under 25 use more news sources than older Australians – and are significantly more likely to pay for it. Around 27% of 18- to 24-year-olds and 41% of those aged 25–34 pay for news, compared with just 16% of 65+.
Again, it is not just traditional media. This younger cohort is driving Australia’s globally highest rate of paying for digital-only news brands.
What motivates this willingness to pay is also different for young people. They are not purchasing content simply for personal use. They are twice as likely as older groups to say they pay for news so others can access news for free, suggesting they see journalism as a social good.
At the same time, they are more likely to subscribe to outlets that align with their views. This reflects a broader shift toward personalised media ecosystems, where individuals curate their own mix of sources that align with their identities and values.
The rise of news influencers
Perhaps the most striking shift is the rise of creators and influencers as a source of news. In Australia, 43% of people say they get news from creators or influencers, slightly above the global average. For 18- to 24-year-olds, this figure jumps to 70%.
People who get news from influencers say influencer-led news is more entertaining (59%), more relatable (55%) and easier to understand (56%) compared to mainstream news. These perceptions are particularly strong among younger audiences.
The growth of influencer-led news is closely tied to questions of trust. Audiences who distrust mainstream media are more likely to turn to influencers. People who distrust news in general are much more likely to perceive influencers as trustworthy (40%) than those who trust mainstream news (32%). Distrusters of news also think influencer-led news is more authentic (61%).
Young people want news to be accessible, flexible and personally relevant. They expect news to meet them where they are – on mobile devices, social media feeds and through voices they trust and relate to.
At the same time, they are wary of the online environment where misinformation proliferates, and seek news sources that are trustworthy. In fact, the proportion of under 35s saying that they trust the news they choose to consume has risen 14 percentage points since 2024 to reach 60%, well above the Australian average of 54%.
This duality presents both opportunities and challenges for the news industry. To remain relevant, legacy news organisations must adapt to new formats and distribution channels without compromising quality.
For media organisations, the task is not simply to attract younger users, but also to understand how their expectations differ.
This means embracing video-first storytelling and recognising the growing role of influencers in the news ecosystem. And, more importantly, acknowledging the significant role that digital platforms such as search, social media and generative AI are playing in the discovery and consumption of news.
Digital News Report: Australia is produced by the News & Media Research Centre (N&MRC) at the University of Canberra and is part of a global annual survey of digital news consumption in 48 countries, commissioned by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford. The survey was conducted by YouGov at the end of January/beginning of February 2026.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
