What the latest data on media habits means for your comms strategy

Written by Shanna Crispin

The latest report on Australians’ news habits is out - and it’s a 174-page document. So, we’ve done the heavy lifting and extracted the key takeaways, along with what they mean for your communications strategy. 

Here are the top three things you need to know. 

Media relations can’t be your only strategy

While interest in news has increased, news avoidance remains significant: almost seven in ten Australians say they avoid the news at least some of the time. 

When people do consume news, a growing number are using AI to interrogate stories or find out more. Nine per cent of Australians now use AI chatbots for news, and almost half of those users turn to them to explore stories in greater depth. 

For communicators, this means how your organisation shows up in other places - and how that information is interpreted and surfaced by AI - matters. 

These trends demonstrate the importance of having a communications strategy that builds awareness and connection beyond media coverage. I have long advocated for investing in owned channels, such as your website and email, because they give you a direct connection with your audiences. 

More people are also getting their news through social media, with Facebook the most-used social platform for news, followed by YouTube. 

But before you rush to launch a YouTube channel, it’s important to understand what people are consuming there. They are more likely to be accessing content from established news brands, individual journalists, creators or other influential voices. 

For established news outlets, social media has become another publishing and distribution channel. It allows audiences to move away from fixed publishing and broadcasting schedules and consume news when and where it suits them. 

Influential voices are key

People are increasingly turning to individual voices for news, regardless of whether those people are connected to established media outlets. 

Forty-three per cent of Australian news consumers now access news from creators or influencers. That rises to around 70% for people under 35. 

If you’re continuing to ignore the potential of influential voices in your field, it may be time to think again. 

Depending on your audience, those voices could include industry experts, community leaders, creators, commentators or podcasters. Many of these people also have established social media channels through which they share and amplify their content. 

Don’t forget that reporters are also individual voices on these platforms. Many share news and insights in a more personal format, building audiences that extend beyond the outlets they work for. 

This makes genuine, respectful relationships with reporters more important than ever. 

Strong stories are more important than ever

People who access creator-led news describe it as more entertaining, relatable and easier to understand than traditional news coverage. This helps explain why individual voices are gaining attention on social media. 

Video is an important part of this shift. Short-form news video dominates on social platforms, with most viewers watching clips of less than two minutes. 

If you want to capture attention, you need an engaging story - and a compelling visual way to tell it quickly. 

That doesn’t mean squeezing every complex issue into a two-minute video. It means capturing attention with accessible content, then giving people somewhere to go for more information.