The task of persuading young adults to pay for news is challenging when it’s free and accessible on social media. The percentage of young adults (18-29-years-old) regularly consuming news from TikTok has risen from 9% in 2020 to 32% in 2021. Influencers like Kelsey Russell, a 23-year-old TikToker based in New York who frequently posts videos flipping through the pages of newspapers like The New York Times and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, provide “near-peer education” by summarizing the stories and adding her own notes and highlights. YPulse data shows that more than half of Gen Z say they follow the news, but far more are keeping up through social media than through a print paper. YPulse data shows that more than half of Gen Z say they follow the news, but far more are keeping up through social media than through a print paper. (Business Insider)
