How Gen Z could change the print game focus of new INMA report

DALLAS (31 October 2024) - The resurgence of print among Gen Z and how news organisations can build lasting relationships with this generation is the focus of a new report released today by the International News Media Association (INMA).

"How Gen Z Could Change the Print Game" delves into three key factors driving this renewed desire for print, exploring what it could mean for news media organisations:

• Factor 1: Desire for a non-digital experience
• Factor 2: Trust issues
• Factor 3: Representation

According to the report, written by INMA Ideas Blog Editor Paula Felps, a growing number of signs indicate Gen Z presents a new opportunity to extend print's reach. At the same time, news publishers could use print as the gateway to reaching an entirely new audience both online and offline.

Felps explains that Gen Z is looking for new experiences from print and see it as an addition to their digital world - not a replacement for it. She further argues that the shift requires news media companies to rethink their approach to print, as this new generation of print consumers is unlike previous generations. Raised on digital, they view print as something new, different, and retro.

"How Gen Z Could Change the Print Game" features four case studies, designed to showcase the various ways current media companies are leveraging the trend:

• Daily Maverick in South Africa, which offers a weekly printed newspaper, DM168, that is "less overwhelming" than digital.
• The Times of India is leveraging cause-related print campaigns and initiatives that focus on the values and issues important to Gen Z, such as mental health.
• L'Actu in France publishes a daily print newspaper written for (and by) Gen Z that has become a popular product for that generation.
• Hindustan Times in India publishes a school edition called HT Pace geared to a Gen Z audience, attracting advertisers they might not normally see.

About International News Media Association (INMA)

The International News Media Association (INMA) is a global community of market-leading news media companies reinventing how they engage audiences and grow revenue in a multiplatform environment. The INMA community consists of more than 21,000 members at 1,000+ news media companies in 90+ countries, representing tens of thousands of news brands. INMA is the news media industry's foremost ideas-sharing network with members connected via conferences, reports, Webinars, virtual meetings, awards competitions, and an unparalleled archive of best practices.