Study Shows Teens Consume Majority Of Their News From Influencers And Independent Creators – AfroTech
A new study has been conducted to determine where audiences get news and information.
The study — titled “The Evolving News Landscape: Comparing Media Habits and Trust Between Teens and Adults” — was conducted in February by the Media Insight Project, which is a collaboration of the 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. It surveyed 2,101 individuals aged 13 and older.
Its findings determined that all generations obtained news and information from influencers or independent creators. In fact, 57% of respondents affirmed they referred to influencers or independent creators for news and information at least sometimes. Additionally, 81% of respondents ages 13 to 17 stated they receive their news and information from influencers, and 57% reported getting news from social media at least daily, compared with 74% of adults 65 and older who stated they get news from television. It’s also suggested that hard news becomes the more desired choice with age as only 12% of teens are “avid hard news consumers” compared to 35% of those 65 and older.
“Together, these findings suggest that journalism’s influence is no longer defined solely by legacy institutions, but by a comparative, choice-driven environment in which audiences weigh multiple sources against one another,” the report’s authors said in a press release, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Furthermore, trust was consistent across political stances, unlike in traditional media, according to the study. Additionally, respondents stated they trusted influencers and independent creators to verify facts, be transparent, and to consider and share different viewpoints “at least somewhat well.” This outcome did not vary much across generations. It was also noted that 50% of respondents desired transparency for sponsored content, while 10% believed the same regarding follower count.
The study revealed that at least half of teens and adults still consume television news in some form.
The survey also considered AI’s presence in shaping media. It found that AI chatbots ranked last among all sources in terms of public trust, with just 1 in 10 viewing them as more trustworthy.
