If you think that under-35s are too busy doomscrolling on social media, trapped in algorithmic echo chambers, disinterested in serious news and fundamentally unwilling to pay for trusted information because they expect the internet to be free, maybe it's time to think again.
New data from the Digital News Report: Australia 2026 released today reveals that younger Australians are not only paying attention to the world - they are paying for independent journalism at rates that leave older generations trailing behind.
Despite the continuing cost-of-living crisis, 41 per cent of Australians aged 25-34 and 27 per cent of 18-24s say they now pay for news.
Compare that to the cohort that traditionally prides itself on civic duty: just 16 per cent of Australians aged 65 and older are paying for news.
The 12th annual report by the University of Canberra's News and Media Research Centre reveals that the under-35 demographic is driving Australia's world-leading position in purchasing digital-only news brands - 47 per cent here versus 34 per cent globally.
Their overall interest in news (47 per cent) and consumption of news (49 per cent) have risen sharply since 2023, marking a 12 and 13 percentage point jump, respectively.
The research also found Australia's under-35s reported higher interest in politics than older generations for the first time since the report's inception.
"Young Australians are not disengaged from news - they are reshaping how news is accessed, consumed and understood," Professor Sora Park, lead author of the report and director of the News & Media Research Centre, said.
"We are seeing a generational shift away from fixed routines and traditional platforms towards more fluid, platform-driven and personalised news habits. Younger Australians are signalling a desire for news that feels accessible, authentic and engaging."
The report found 60 per cent of Australians aged 18-24 have never used a newspaper. More than half (53 per cent) have never listened to broadcast radio for news, and a quarter have never turned on a television set to see what is happening in the world.
Instead, almost half (48 per cent) of this younger demographic choose to get their news from TikTok, where influencers and content creators act as the main anchors rather than the traditional nightly newsreader on TV.
More than half of under-35s say that influencer-led "news" is more entertaining (59 per cent), relatable (55 per cent), and easier to understand (56 per cent) than the news reporting of traditional media formats.
Social media in general continues to grow as a major source of news for Australians. It's now the second most-used source of news overall (56 per cent), sitting behind television (57 per cent) and ahead of online news sites and apps (52 per cent).
For the first time, social media (32 per cent) has also overtaken direct traffic to news websites (31 per cent) as the primary gateway for Australians accessing news online.
Facebook, despite Meta's algorithmic strategy to deprioritise news, remains the most widely used social media platform to access news.
Compared to the rest of the world, Australia has a higher proportion of people who pay for news (23 per cent, versus the global average of 17 per cent) and who pay for digital-only news brands (35 per cent, versus 23 per cent globally).
One reason why young people appear increasingly willing to pay for digital news: they are wary of the low-trust, AI-saturated information environment online.
The 2026 report, drawn from an online sample of more than 2000 Australian news consumers, shows the presence of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) in the news ecosystem is expanding, with almost one in 10 people (9 per cent) now using AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity to access or consume news - a trend growing fastest among under-25s (16 per cent, up four percentage points from 2025).
But while almost half of AI users (49 per cent) lean on chatbots to follow up on breaking stories, summarise or verify information or explain complex issues, they are doing so with extreme caution.
Trust in news delivered via AI (19 per cent) and social media platforms (21 per cent) is very low compared to the news generally (43 per cent), with almost half (49 per cent) saying they distrust any news found on AI.
Concern about misinformation continues to rise with 77 per cent of Australians worried about what is real or fake on the internet - the highest level of concern globally.
Source: Digital News Report: Australia 2026
"AI is becoming another layer in how Australians navigate information," Professor Park said.
"But trust remains central. Audiences continue to place greater value on journalism they perceive as credible, transparent and accurate. The data also suggest that low trust in AI could be contributing to the growing concern about online misinformation."
As the Albanese government finalises its News Bargaining Incentive legislation designed to encourage Google, Meta and TikTok to financially support the providers of Australian news content, Professor Park said this year's Digital News Report data underscored "the increasing role digital platforms, including AI, are having on Australians' access to news".
"The challenge for news organisations is to adapt to constantly changing audience behaviours without undermining their economic viability or compromising the quality and credibility of news that underpin public trust," she said
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