A new trend in online audience behaviour shows a shift toward solution-oriented content. Headline fatigue and doom scrolling are taking their toll on our collective mental health. People want fresh and more hopeful perspectives to combat the grim mainstream narrative.
The demand for “good news” stories has seen growth in North America, particularly as audiences increasingly seek content that counters “doomscrolling” and negative narratives. This shift is evident in several emerging trends in media consumption.
Rising News Avoidance and Fatigue: A substantial portion of audiences actively avoid negative news, with around 41% of consumers in the U.S. and other Western countries sometimes opting to skip current events entirely. This trend has spurred publishers to adapt by incorporating more “solutions journalism,” which focuses on positive and actionable news, to re-engage readers looking for uplifting content. ref: Kantar Reuters Institute
Increased Engagement with Positive Content on Social Platforms: Platforms like TikTok have highlighted that good news stories, such as RTE’s “Climate Heroes” series and Earthtopia’s positive news roundups, receive high engagement. This preference suggests a desire for stories that showcase solutions and human interest narratives rather than only reporting problems. ref: Press Gazette.
Media Strategies to Meet Demand: Many news organizations are diversifying their offerings by creating newsletters, podcasts, and video content centered on positive stories to meet the increased demand for feel-good content. These formats allow publishers to provide a curated selection of good news stories, which are particularly popular among younger audiences on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. ref: Pew Research Center
Overall, these trends indicate a significant opportunity for media outlets to attract and retain audiences by addressing the demand for uplifting stories across both digital and social platforms in North America.
*this information compiled by ChatGP
