by Risa Chuang, VP, Media Relations & Strategy
As a parent of Gen Z children, I’m constantly intrigued by how they consume content and what types of stories capture their attention. The days of flipping through the local newspaper or waiting for the evening news to deliver a recap of the day’s events — both local and national — feel like a distant memory. Reflecting on how much the media landscape has changed, I found myself wondering: How does this generation access news? How engaged are they with what’s happening in their communities? And what issues matter most to them? Some of the answers, like their go-to sources for information, were expected. But others — particularly the topics that resonate most deeply — were more surprising than I anticipated.
Over the past month alone, local TV news stations across the U.S. have conducted interviews on a diverse array of topics reflecting community concerns, cultural events, and significant national issues. It’s no secret that local news primarily reflects local interests like crime, politics, weather, and civic engagement. A new survey conducted in June 2025 by Atomik US, reports that nearly half of consumers indicate that local news is more important to them than national news, with half of Gen Z prioritizing local news. Among Zoomers, 2 out of 3 rely on their phone to access local news: tapping into social media channels for newspapers and TV stations, YouTube and TikTok. The survey also reveals that when a local TV news anchor or reporter conducts a story on a brand, product, or service, 59% of Gen Z are swayed to try it. This demonstrates that a new trend that once only dominated the airwaves is now also being distributed via multiple platforms — including online, digital, and social — and is being consumed by several generations, most notably Gen Z.
Stations want to attract a younger audience and need to do so to stay relevant. Yet, while local TV broadcasts have always been the key medium for those who tend to tune into practical news like weather, consumer safety, and traffic, viewership is declining on traditional broadcasts and being amplified and recaptured through streaming, social media channels, and mobile apps. And, for the younger audiences, they tend to prefer shorter, visually engaging content on platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
Despite the rise of digital platforms, traditional broadcast continues to occupy a larger space in Gen Z’s media world than many may think. So, what does the latest generation emerging into adulthood really want? After taking a closer look at the latest stories in broadcast and speaking to my own Gen Z aged children, here is what I’ve found:
The workforce: Anything having to do with job searches, empowering Gen Z in the workforce, student loans, alternatives to college and career advice are a topic near and dear to Gen Z hearts. Many in this generation are reconsidering the traditional path of college (and the student loans that come along with it), opting to look into trade schools and other non-traditional options instead.
Sober Curious Movement: Many Gen Z are evaluating the Sober Curious Movement as they rethink drinking culture. Recent Gallup data shows a 10 percent decline in alcohol use among U.S. adults aged 18 to 34 in the last decade, making Gen Z possibly not only more sober than proceeding generations, but also more likely to tune into broadcasts shared on multi-platforms about this movement.
Scams & Cybersecurity: A local news outlet in Jacksonville, FL reported that more Gen Zers are susceptible to scams. In fact, of all generations, they are most likely to use A.I. to file taxes and other sensitive financial tasks, making cybersecurity topics geared toward this generation as well as their parents high on the list of what attracts Zoomers to media content.
Home Ownership: Gen Zers are the most recent generation to enter the housing market. A recent story on Fox 5 New York revealed which parts of the country Gen Zers are submitting mortgage requests in and where they are most likely to settle. As the oldest of this generation ages toward their late twenties, their interest in content in home ownership is growing, regardless of the platform.
Humor, Memes, and Relatable Micro-Stories
While Gen Z is deeply engaged with serious issues, they also have a strong appetite for humor and quick, digestible content. They gravitate toward “snackable” news — delivered via memes, short-form Instagram Reels, or TikTok explainers — that makes them laugh while keeping them in the know. Not a day goes by without at least one of my kids sending me a post poking fun at Gen X parents, a clever spin on trending news, or a satirical TikTok breaking down current events with sarcasm. For Gen Z, information is more likely to stick when it’s entertaining, relatable, and easily shareable.
With my own children at 17 and 20 — somewhere in the middle of Gen Z — I’ve seen firsthand how easily they access everything from sports highlights and summer job listings to college advice and student loan tips with just a few taps on Insta or a news app. Yet every now and then, in a moment of shared nostalgia, we put our phones down, grab a tub of popcorn, and watch the local evening news together. It’s a small reminder that even in a digital-first world, traditional broadcast still has a place, especially when it brings people together.
