Young audiences are engaging with news in growing numbers, and for the first time, Australians under the age of 35 report greater interest in politics than older generations.

The Digital News Report: Australia, a longitudinal study that has been tracking news consumption for more than a decade, shows a shift in how younger generations are accessing and making sense of news.

However, it is not mainstream media they are turning to. Traditional news sources are being bypassed: 60% of people under 25 have never read a newspaper, and more than half (53%) have never listened to news on the radio.

Instead, they encounter news in digital and mobile environments, often incidentally: 71% of under 25s access news on social media and nearly half (48%) of them get news on TikTok. An overwhelming 89% watch news videos via online and social media platforms.

This generational shift is not just about platform choice. It is redefining what news is, who delivers it, and why they are paying for it. News is no longer something people deliberately seek out at set times. It is embedded within everyday scrolling, sharing and entertainment.

This creates a more fluid relationship with........

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