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Gen Z — it’s a gaggle that may really feel like an elusive, uncommon species to at this time’s publishers. How do these younger adults get their information? And are they even consuming information in any respect within the conventional sense?
Final 12 months, Digiday+ Analysis regarded on the rising traits in Gen Z information consumption in an in depth report. Within the second quarter of this 12 months, we checked in with publishers to see what number of of these traits nonetheless stand, and what number of of these born between 1997 and 2012 publishers can depend amongst their readers.
Digiday’s survey discovered that Gen Z makes up a really small proportion of publishers’ readership as of Q2 2025. Seventy-one p.c of writer professionals advised Digiday that Gen Z makes up between 0% and 25% of their viewers — admittedly a bit disheartening.
Fewer than a 3rd of publishers (29%) mentioned that Gen Z accounts for greater than 1 / 4 of their readership. Particularly, 17% of writer professionals advised Digiday that Gen Z readers make up between 26% and 50% of their viewers, 10% mentioned 51% to 75% of their viewers is Gen Z readers, and simply 2% mentioned Gen Zers account for 76% to 100% of their viewers.
By way of how Gen Z consumes information, Digiday’s survey discovered that the group’s tendency to count on information anytime, wherever is an important pattern recognized by publishers. Practically two-thirds of writer professionals (61%) advised Digiday in Q2 that Gen Z readers consuming information each time they need, nonetheless they need is a pattern that’s nonetheless relevant for his or her viewers.
In the meantime, greater than half of publishers mentioned that social media’s position in delivering breaking information and overlaying subjects that relate on to Gen Z are nonetheless vital traits for readers on this age group. Fifty-five p.c of writer professionals mentioned that Gen Z readers’ discovery of breaking information on social media first continues to be a pattern amongst their viewers this 12 months. And 53% mentioned that Gen Z readers are nonetheless essentially the most focused on information that pertains to them.
Publishers’ presence on TikTok is one other vital pattern this 12 months, Digiday’s survey discovered. Forty-two p.c of writer professionals mentioned in Q2 that they’re turning into extra lively on the social media platform this 12 months — a pattern led by their Gen Z viewers.
Practically 1 / 4 of publishers (21%) recognized the next traits as nonetheless related to their Gen Z viewers: Gen Z readers confirm data that they see on social media and different sources not historically used for information by conventional information sources (which is nice information for publishers). In addition they have interaction with information content material in remark sections. And (not so excellent news) publishers nonetheless battle to monetize podcasts — a giant channel among the many Gen Z viewers.
All in all, whereas these traits are seemingly indicative of the way forward for information consumption as members of Gen Z proceed to become old, publishers nonetheless have a methods to go in the case of constructing this youthful era into their readership. As a remark from a writer respondent summed it up, they’re undecided precisely about which information consumption traits are related amongst Gen Z as a result of that group makes up such a small proportion of their viewers.
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