This week’s action: Design coverage for younger audiences, not just about them.
What the survey says: About 7 in 10 American teens and adults regularly use a paid news service or product. More than half (56%) pay for or donate to the news sources themselves, while 23% use a service paid for by somebody else, and 12% both pay for news and use a news product paid for by someone else. It’s Americans ages 18-34 — not teens — who are the least likely (54%) to use a paid news service, either paid for themselves or by someone else.
When it comes to what local news topics people say they follow most closely, local weather or traffic (65%) came out on top when looking across all ages. The second-most common topic for teens ages 13-17 was local schools (40%).
What it means for local news: Young people already seek out news and information, but local news organizations could be missing out on opportunities to serve them directly now.
Try this
Start here: Pick one younger audience group — teens, college students, young workers, adults younger than 35, etc. — and choose one local topic they already follow.
Take action: Reframe a story, video or social post on that topic around their information needs, thinking about how it affects their day and lives.
Reflect: What was different about the reframed story? What assumptions did you make in deciding your changes, and how can you seek feedback from younger audiences to check those assumptions?
Dig deeper
- From the study: The news consumption habits of teens and adults and Local news
- What teens are saying about the content they trust — and how local news can engage them
- 7 steps to redefine youth involvement in local news operations
- A blueprint for expanding journalism access in high schools
- Share local news coverage with classrooms to spark civic engagement and boost fundraising efforts
- How positive recognition coverage creates new revenue and strengthens youth trust
- How student-led community coverage fosters intergenerational connections
The Media Insight Project is a collaboration of The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, the American Press Institute, Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications and the Local News Network at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
