Gen Z Drawn to Traditional News Media as Election Approaches

• by Ray Schultz , Yesterday

Gen Z has more faith in traditional news media than other generations, judging by Comscore’s new study, “Will Gen Z Turn Out To Vote in 2024?”

While the narrative shows that “many in this cohort rely on TikTok videos and influencer-narrated articles to get news, the year over year data from 2023 to 2024 also confirms increasing numbers consuming traditional news media as well,” the study reports.

In the Phoenix TV market, 66.9% of Gen Z tunes in to cable networks for news, compared to an overall average of 65.1%. In contrast, 64.7% of those in the 65+ cohort turns to cable news. 

In the Orlando market, 69.8% of Gen Z believes in cable networks, versus 68.9% overall and 67.7% of boomers. 

The study notes that “an increasing body of evidence suggests that many in the Gen Z cohort are aware that social media is rife with disinformation and understand the value of mainstream media as a trusted source when processing information to distinguish fact from falsehood.” 

Gen Z’s consumption of Top 50 general news grew by 4% in February, and its share of the total audience by 3%, compared to the same period in 2023. 

One danger sign for Democrats is the fact that Gen Z participation surged during the Kansas Value Them referendum in 2022, which appeared on the primary ballot in August, but the group wasn’t as active in the general election that fall. The anti-abortion amendment was defeated. 

However, the report concludes that “those seeking to reach and persuade prospective Gen Z voters during the 2024 election cycle ought to take heed and seriously consider reliable news as a key platform for their outreach and messaging efforts, because, that outreach can benefit from the aura of reliability placed in responsible news organizations by their audiences.”