Over the past eight months, FT Strategies and Northwestern University have travelled across three continents to research what 18- to 25-year-olds think about today's news and the extent to which it meets their expectations and needs. The Next Gen News report brings to life the thinking of this hard-to-reach group with nuanced anecdotes, quotes and observations, and is complemented by insightful observations from industry leaders.
To celebrate the report's launch, FT Strategies hosted a panel of industry experts to discuss what makes young consumers different and how news producers can better serve their needs. They aimed to make the report as practical as possible, and have included a framework to help news producers think critically about initiatives to better engage younger consumers and talk about the gap between what young consumers want and what news providers typically offer. They also set out six calls to action for the industry and provide numerous case studies which news organizations can draw inspiration from.
The panel included experts from FT Strategies, TLDR News and Medill School of Journalism as well as Next Generation News Advisory Board members and journalists. You can watch the recording and access all of the assets shared on the day here.
If you would like to discuss the research further or want to know how you can successfully apply the framework in your organization, please contact Head of Insights George Montagu with FT Strategies at george.montagu@ft.com.
