Vizrt has uncovered a seismic shift in the news consumption habits of Gen Z. The findings of a new research by Vizrt reveal that the first generation born into a fully digital world is abandoning traditional news formats, emphasising a preference for social-first content.
The global study, encompassing respondents from the UK and the US, underscored Gen Z’s waning interest in conventional news formats where dynamic on-screen graphics are under utilised. The study revealed a compelling move towards social media platforms as the primary sources of news, with Instagram leading the pack at 60%, followed by TikTok and Facebook at 38% each.
Factors contributing to this shift include the relentless pace of news cycles, an overwhelming volume of negative stories, and an increasing loyalty to social-first news brands.
Ulrich Voigt, Global Head of Product Management for Vizrt, said, “Our research highlights the importance of real-time data and on-screen graphics in retaining Gen Zs and futureproofing newsroom content creation. Content creators, traditional broadcasters, and newer online news outfits, must adapt to meet the evolving needs of news consumers as each generation becomes more digitally advanced.”
“Immersive storytelling with augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (XR) can quickly and easily break down barriers to news accessibility and drive audience engagement.”
Specifically, the study indicated that Gen Zs are twice as likely to pay attention to content with on-screen graphics compared to other generations, with 31% versus an average of 14%. On-screen graphics aid in understanding complex stories (51%), reading data clearly (48%), and receiving additional information not shown on screen (54%).
Despite Gen Z’s inclination towards consuming news on their smartphones, broadcasters have yet to fully adapt to meet their digital needs. Over half of those aged 18-25 (56%) find it challenging to watch content due to the lack of adaptation for vertical viewing. Moreover,
almost half of the respondents (45%) expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of on-screen graphics when consuming content on the go.