A recent report by the Reuters Institute Digital News reveals that nearly one in four young people in Flanders, Belgium, express no interest in consuming news. The study, which surveyed

1,167 Flemish respondents, indicates that 71% of them consume news at least once a day, a decline of ten percentage points from the previous year. Notably, 23% of young individuals aged 18 to 25 explicitly stated their disinterest in news.

Ike Picone, a senior lecturer in media and journalism studies at VUB, offers several explanations for this trend. He suggests that young people are more inclined towards constructive, positive, and solution-oriented news. Additionally, international research indicates that young individuals seek news that aligns with their own worldviews and supports their personal development, which they may not find as readily in traditional media outlets.

Picone further notes that social media plays a significant role in shaping young people's perception of news. Many rely on social media as their primary source of information and blur the distinction between hard news and updates from their own social networks. He also highlights the challenge faced by media organizations in reconciling their journalistic approach with the dynamics of social media.

The survey also explores opinions on public broadcasting for the first time. Overall, the Flemish public broadcaster, VRT, performs well. Sixty percent of news consumers consult VRT's brands for offline news on a weekly basis, while VRT's online platforms reach 37% of news users. Additionally, over three-quarters of respondents consider the public broadcaster to be reliable.

However, trust in news, in general, continues to decline. Only 51% of Flemish respondents express trust in most news most of the time. Trust levels vary depending on the source, with TV news being the most trusted and news found on social media being the least trusted. Picone highlights the criticism of journalism that emerges from social media platforms, emphasizing the potential for news media to position itself as an alternative to the toxic online environment by delivering quality and unique stories that resonate with those willing to pay for news.

One striking finding from the survey is that 37% of respondents actively attempt to manipulate their social media algorithms to receive more reliable news. They do so by selectively following or blocking specific sources or individuals and adjusting other settings. Picone finds this trend encouraging, as it demonstrates that despite declining trust in news, people are taking steps to compensate by exerting control over their algorithmic news consumption. Photo by Bjelka, Wikimedia commons.