We found that the next generation exhibits emerging behaviours that are distinct in four ways:
They fluidly transition between dissimilar tasks (e.g. messaging friends, buying things, watching videos, playing games, catching up on socials, listening to a podcast) while they’re on their phones
They seek out sources of information from people that they know, or feel like they know (e.g. their favourite creator), in real life
They rely on the personal opinions of others in digital contexts to frame and understand the news
They have honed their own sophisticated search skills on social media platforms and online communities to help them manage information overload
From the emergent behaviours, we have extracted a set of five modes that can be used as lenses to understand these behaviours more fully. The five modes that make up this framework - Sift, Substantiate, Study, Socialise, and Sensemake - emerged as the most resonant for the participants in this research.
Information inputs
The first thing news producers should know is that the next generation of consumers are inundated with information triggers all day, every day, whether it’s from social media content, group chats, notifications, or even day-to-day conversations.
Sift
How do I filter through the noise?
Because of how much content they’re exposed to, young consumers are constantly sifting through information. They want simple, short, and low-effort ways to keep up with and discover relevant information without feeling overwhelmed. We call this the Sift mode.
Active modes
The next generation may stay in this mode, interacting with information in bite-sized doses, or they may want to dive deeper, entering into one or more of the active modes: Substantiate, Study, Socialise, or Sensemake.
Substantiate
How do I know what’s true?
In the Substantiate mode, young consumers want a straightforward way to verify news that has sparked their interest. They want to do this in a self-led way that gives them a sense of agency to find their own version of the truth.
Study
How do I build knowledge and expertise?
In the Study mode, young consumers want to deep dive and learn about topics that matter to them. They want to upskill, learn, and develop for the sake of their personal and professional goals.
Socialise
How do I connect with others?
In the Socialise mode, young consumers want to deepen social ties through the content they consume in a way that makes them feel smart, connected, and socially validated.
Sensemake
How do I figure out what it all means?
Finally, in the Sensemake mode, young consumers want to process and understand different perspectives on complex topics in a way that empowers them to join the conversation.
Modes of consumption
While the various consumption modes are distinct, we found that young consumers were constantly switching between them. Consequently, there was no such thing as a linear journey.
Information inputs
The first thing news producers should know is that the next generation of consumers are inundated with information triggers all day, every day, whether it’s from social media content, group chats, notifications, or even day-to-day conversations.