Month: May 2026

The News Effect | The Misinformation Counterweight: Why Integrity is a Brand’s Best Insurance Policy

EPISODE FIVE//

The Misinformation Counterweight

Why Integrity is a Brand's Best Insurance Policy

In 2026, influence is everywhere, but integrity is rare. As Australians increasingly flag influencers as a significant misinformation risk, brands are asking a critical question: is our reputation built on solid ground or shifting sand? Luke McIlveen, Executive Editor of Nine’s Metro Mastheads, explains why a regulated newsroom is the ultimate safeguard for brand credibility.

LukeMcIlveen_IMG

Pictured: Luke McIlveen (left) and Ashleigh Thomas (right)

The digital gold rush of the influencer era is facing a reality check. According to the latest News Effect research from ThinkNewsBrands, 57% of Australians now view influencers as a major misinformation risk. The reason? An influencer is almost always selling something - whether it’s a product, a lifestyle, or a political lens.

In the final episode of The News Effect series, Ashleigh Thomas sits down with Luke McIlveen to discuss how the rigorous and often unglamorous work of journalism acts as the essential antidote to the whirlpool of social media misinformation.

The independent north star

For McIlveen, the distinction between a newsroom and an algorithm-led platform is found in a single word that sits above the masthead: Independent.

“We’re not taking a political point of view to the news, we’re not putting a lens over it, and we’re certainly not selling products,” McIlveen says. “Advertisers choose to work with us because our credibility is paramount. We will always protect that.”

In an environment where integrity is often used as a buzzword, McIlveen argues it is actually the core business model. Unlike influencers, newsrooms operate under a strict legal and ethical code. “Integrity is about accountability. If we get it wrong, there are consequences. On an algorithm-led platform, no one is in charge.”

The art of slowing down

In a 24/7 news cycle, the pressure to be first is immense. However, McIlveen’s strategy for maintaining the Trust Halo is counterintuitive: he tells his journalists to slow down.

“It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlpool of facts breaking on social media, but there are countless examples where a story broken by an influencer has turned out to be completely wrong,” McIlveen notes. “Our approach is to make sure we have a clear code of conduct and to take the time to get it right. You need to show the audience you’ve done the work.”

This rigour is best exemplified by Nine’s dedicated investigations unit. Behind the headlines of major outcomes, like the Ben Roberts-Smith case, lies years of "obsessive and intensive" journalism - going through thousands of documents and verifying every quote. This level of tenacity creates a premium environment that supports every other section of the masthead, from hard news to lifestyle content.

The 'kill the story' principle

The most unique aspect of Nine’s editorial philosophy is a principle McIlveen learned early in his career: never be afraid to make the phone call that kills the story.

“It’s really easy to get an angle and just run with it,” he explains. “What’s much more difficult is to go that extra step and make the phone call that might actually prove your story wrong. If that additional call means the story is dead, then that’s the end of the story. If we strive toward that every day, the audience picks up on it.”

The bottom line for brands

For marketers, the 'Misinformation Counterweight' provides a unique form of insurance. By placing a brand alongside journalism that prioritises accuracy over clicks, advertisers aren't just reaching an audience, they are anchoring their reputation to a platform built on accountability.

As McIlveen puts it: “Credible, independent journalism is what we’re here to do.” Standing next to that journalism is the surest way to ensure their credibility remains on solid ground.

Watch the full interview with Luke McIlveen above to explore the power of the Misinformation Counterweight.

Want more insights?

Say hello

Let's talk about how Nine's premium publishing ecosystem can elevate your brand's impact.

READY TO CREATE? //

Print Ad Specs
Digital Ad Specs

CONTACT //

Nine ad enquiries

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

‘Headliners’ Presented by Nine, in Partnership with B&T

Showcasing the best in publishing, ​in partnership with B&T

In a world of endless scrolls and shifting algorithms, some stories simply refuse to be ignored. They command attention, spark conversation and stay with you long after the screen goes dark or the page is turned.

Now entering an evolved chapter, Nine has partnered with B&T to showcase the best in print and digital advertising. Whether it's the tactile prestige of a full-page spread or the data-driven precision of a digital masthead, Headliners spotlights the brands that don't just buy media – they own the moment.

Join us as we go behind the creative that captivates Australia.​

For our new series 'Headliners', B&T Editor Tom Fogden talks all things publishing with Nine's Ashleigh Thomas, Commercial Director – Publishing Sales, Julia Naughton, Head of Life – Culture, Lifestyle & Travel, and Sarah Norris, Head of Good Food. Whether it's the tactile prestige of a full-page spread or the data-driven precision of a digital masthead, Headliners spotlights the brands that don't just buy media – they own the moment.

Explore the Headliners

Headliners_WatchThisSpace
GoodFoodxT2

Brewing Up a Revolution with T2

To establish T2 Tea’s professional credibility within Australia’s elite cafe culture, the brand partnered with Good Food’s Essential Sydney & Melbourne Cafes & Bakeries 2025 guide. This multi-layered campaign successfully blended the tangible nature of print with rich digital storytelling.

Read more

Back to top

AFRxRangeRover

Celebrating Heritage and Horizon with Range Rover

When the Australian Financial Review Magazine marked its landmark 30th anniversary, the theme of ‘Visionaries’ provided the perfect backdrop for Range Rover. This milestone was a unique opportunity to align with the individuals who have shaped the last three decades and those who will define the next thirty.

Read more

Back to top

AFRxScenic

An “Ikonic” Moment for Scenic and The Australian Financial Review

Scenic’s primary ambition was to solidify its position as the global vanguard of ultra-luxury travel, specifically targeting Australia's most affluent and influential decision-makers. The brand sought to move beyond traditional travel marketing to cultivate genuine advocacy, positioning its Discovery Yachts not merely as vessels, but as the gold standard for high-net-worth individuals who view travel as an extension of their lifestyle. Anchoring the campaign was the unveiling of their newest vessel, Scenic Ikon, and reinforcing Scenic’s identity as an Australian-founded success story that understands the modern traveller's deep connection to wellness and cultural sophistication. 

Read more

Back to top

9Honey_CareerOne

CareerOne: On the Money with 9Honey

In a traditional recruitment landscape, job platforms typically wait for a user to feel a spark of urgency before they engage. However, CareerOne recognised that while most Australians are not actively refreshing job boards, they are constantly navigating a “quiet uncertainty” regarding their professional worth. In partnership with AI specialist Decidr, CareerOne identified a significant gap between the way people consume daily lifestyle content and the way they reflect on their own careers, pay and purpose. The insight was simple yet profound: people rarely discuss salary openly, leaving a persistent, lingering question of whether they are being underpaid. 

Read more

Back to top

Nine_Airwallex

Banking on a Revolution with Airwallex

Despite being a global success story, Airwallex a financial tech company, faced a local challenge: low brand awareness, rising competitive pressure and a brand perception that lagged behind product capability. Airwallex needed to accelerate brand growth and reposition how it was understood by Australian business decision makers.

Read more

Back to top

Want to hear more about partnering with Nine?

Talk to us today.

The News Effect | The Attention Economy: Why News Environments Deliver 6x Higher Brand Recall

EPISODE FOUR //

The Attention Economy

Why News Environments Deliver 6x Higher Brand Recall

Imagine your brand being remembered six times more effectively than it is right now. It sounds extreme, but according to the latest News Nation research by ThinkNewsBrands, it is the direct result of the lean-back behavior unique to news environments. Aimie Rigas, Director of Audience Growth at Nine Publishing, dives into why capturing a reader’s focus is the most valuable investment a brand can make.

AimieRigas_IMG

Pictured: Aimie Rigas (left) and Ashleigh Thomas (right)

The days of measuring digital success by clicks alone are over. In the age of distracted scrolling, the new gold standard is optimising for audiences with intent. While social media is designed for the lean-forward hunt for dopamine, premium news ecosystems are built for a different mindset - one where three in four Australians intentionally slow down.

In the fourth episode of The News Effect series, Ashleigh Thomas sits down with Aimie Rigas to discuss how Nine optimises for focus rather than just traffic, and what that means for advertiser ROI.

The happy accident of engagement

High engagement wasn’t always a digital strategy; it began as a carryover from the deeply immersive experience of print. However, Rigas explains that this lean-back behavior is now an intentional part of the digital ecosystem.

“Historically, you picked up a paper and you were really deeply engaged. Now, we are definitely optimising for that engagement and building habit,” Rigas says. “One of the key metrics we use to judge our success is engagement time. Our readers spend minutes pouring over our best stories, not seconds.”

For brands, this extra time is transformative. When a reader slows down to consume a compelling investigation or an interactive feature, the ads surrounding that content benefit from a massive surge in brand recall - clocking in at 6.4x higher than in other digital environments.

The direct-to-brand advantage

A key driver of this high recall is the intent of the audience. Unlike social media users who are fed content by an algorithm, the vast majority of Nine’s audience (70%-80%) comes direct.

“They are actively choosing to engage with our content,” Rigas explains. “They come via newsletters or the homepage, and they stay for Good Food or lifestyle news, but the same journalistic rigor is applied to all of it. There is no ‘fluffy’ section of the site; our journalists write about movies and TV with the same intensity they bring to world politics.”

This intentionality means that when a user sees an ad, they aren't just scrolling past it; they are in a high-attention state, ready to absorb information.

Turning accidental readers into loyalists

While direct traffic is the goal, audience growth often starts on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Rigas’s strategy is to ensure that the transition from social media to the masthead is seamless and honest, avoiding the clickbait traps of the past.

“We intentionally are the same brand on all platforms. We don’t go to TikTok and say, ‘Hey kids, we’re the AFR!’” says Rigas. “We build top-of-mind awareness so that when there is breaking news, they choose us first. We balance the experience so that if someone accidentally stumbles across us, it’s such a high-quality experience that it isn’t an accident next time.”

Journalists as the new influencers

Rigas is particularly optimistic about the next generation of readers. While Gen Z identifies strongly with individuals, Rigas sees Nine’s newsrooms as being "full of hundreds of influencers."

By showcasing the faces and the rigorous work behind the stories, Nine is teaching the next generation why they should trust a masthead over a solo content creator. This transparency builds a foundation of trust that brands can then leverage.

The bottom line for brands

In an economy of scarcity, the most valuable thing a brand can buy is a reader's time. By moving away from the cheap reach of social media and toward the high-attention environments of premium news, advertisers can ensure their message isn't just seen - it's remembered.

Watch the full interview with Aimie Rigas to learn more about the science of engagement and the News Effect.

Want more insights?

Say hello

Let's talk about how Nine's premium publishing ecosystem can elevate your brand's impact.

READY TO CREATE? //

Print Ad Specs
Digital Ad Specs

CONTACT //

Nine ad enquiries

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Consumer Pulse May 2026

ConsumerPulse_TT
IMAGE TILES 3

WHAT'S HOT AND WHAT'S NOT

May 2026

While the national mood remains predominately negative, it has seen a slight increase since last month. Frustrated, Anxious, Stressed, Pessimistic and Sceptical are the top feelings this month, followed by Calm and Annoyed. In line with this, 1 in 3 are feeling a mix of optimistic and cautious due global unrest and rising costs. Nine's audience has seen an increase in active users of AI quarter on quarter to 1 in 2, with most active engagement focused on personal tasks.

A woman works with artificial intelligence functions and smooth digital UI elements projected on a transparent screen.

1 May - 4 May, 2026

Inside this month’s Consumer Pulse dip

Worried businessman biting his nail while waiting for a job interview with other candidates in a hallway of an office building.

Mood of the Nation >

Young smiling biracial female gardener and her Caucasian colleague having discussion of interior design of their new florist shop

CONVERSATION STARTERS >

Mood of the Nation

The national mood

The national mood still remains predominately negative but has improved slightly since last month, suggesting that Australians have, to a degree, adjusted to the current global instability. The drop in net negative mood has positioned it to similar levels to COVID times, particularly August 2021. Australians are feeling frustrated, anxious and stressed, with these emotions seeing an increase year on year, reinforcing the dramatic shift in the world in comparison to May 2025.

NOTE: For the best viewing experience on mobile, please view landscape.

Dominant mood indicators

The top moods continue to be dominated by negative emotions, with frustrated, and anxious remaining the top 2 emotions. Stressed, pessimistic and sceptical follow to complete the top five ranking, keeping the dominant mood negative. The remaining top 10 emotions are a blend of positive and negative sentiments, with calm, annoyed, relaxed, unsure and overwhelmed, occupying positions six through to 10.

NOTE: For the best viewing experience on mobile, please view landscape.

NATIONAL MOOD BREAKDOWN

of the under 45 age group feel calm

Although the top three emotions are universally negative across all age groups, there is some variation in dominant emotion by age. Those under 45 are primarily anxious, while older audiences lean towards frustration. Additionally, calmness is reported less frequently among younger audiences, with only 13% feeling calm compared to 23% among older Australians. In line with last month, females report higher levels of anxiety (30%), while males feel pessimistic (26%), sceptical (26%) and annoyed (24%) more strongly. 

pensive woman in front of the window

BRAND CONSIDERATION

Brands must navigate a predominantly negative national sentiment through messaging that builds trust and provides a sense of stability.

Conversation Starters

OUTLOOK ON THE YEAR AHEAD

of Nine's audience are feeling cautious

1 in 2 Australians are cautious about the year ahead but the sentiment is dropping

While around 1 in 2 are still feeling cautious about the year ahead, there has been a slight drop since last month, reinforcing that people are adapting to the current climate. Younger audiences and females are showing a distinct shift in mindset, resulting in a 14 percentage point decrease in caution for those under 45 and a 9 percentage point decrease for females. Audiences attribute their cautious sentiment primarily due to global conflict and leadership, as well as economic pressures. Those with a mixed perspective feel secure in their immediate surroundings and everyday life, even as they acknowledge the instability of the global world. 

Businessman/Politician figurines examine a concrete globe (Europe, Africa)

BRAND CONSIDERATION

As audiences gradually adapt to global and economic instability, brands should pivot from addressing acute caution to reinforcing the local sanctuary by highlighting immediate security and everyday stability.

Concerns

of Nine's audience are concerned with national security

Global conflicts and rising prices continue to dominate concerns 

The primary concerns for Australians remain consistent month on month with global conflicts and their impact on fuel prices as well as national security (75%) the top concern. This is followed by rising prices for essentials (71%) and increasing political polarisation (63%). While older audiences show a greater concern for the risk of recession, they are less likely than younger audiences to be concerned by high rent, ability to afford non-essentials (e.g., holidays, dining out) and loss of employment, suggesting greater financial stability and minimal changes in their spending habits. Additionally, males are less likely than females to show concern over global conflicts and the cost of essentials.

BRAND CONSIDERATION

Brands should emphasis value for budget-conscious younger consumers while maintaining premium offerings for more financially resilient older demographics.

Woman checking a long grocery receipt at the supermarket, grocery shopping and budget concept

AI USAGE

of Nine's audience are active AI users

AI Usage Frequencies 

Among Nine’s audience, 53% are active users (report daily to monthly usage) of AI applications such as Chat GPT, Gemini, Co-Pilot or Open AI, with the majority using weekly. Active AI usage has increased by 12 percentage points since last quarter, signaling the growing acceptance and integration of AI within everyday life. 

Active usage of AI is strongest among younger audiences (66%) and males (58%), with 1 in 2 of these groups using AI at least weekly, solidifying their position as innovators in AI adoption. The laggards of AI usage continue to be older audiences, with 31% aware but non-users.

An Asian teenage student interacts with an AI chatbot on a smartphone while studying at a desk with a laptop, notes and stationery. The scene highlights modern learning and technology integration.

BRAND CONSIDERATION

As AI adoption rapidly transitions from novelty to an integrated daily habit, brands should shift focus from mere awareness to practical, value-driven implementation that rewards active users while lowering the barrier to entry for non-users.

April 2026 Data
Explore Hub

GET IN TOUCH

Want to know more?

Contact your Nine representative directly, or fill out the form and we'll be in touch.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
AdobeStock_545905211

Tell your story in and around the content we know consumers are engaging with most
 

Explore our brands

The News Effect | Beyond Brand Safety: Why the ‘Context Dividend’ is a Marketer’s Secret Weapon

EPISODE THREE //

The Context Dividend

Beyond Brand Safety: Why the ‘Context Dividend’ is a Marketer’s Secret Weapon

If your brand has been avoiding the headlines out of caution, you’re missing a superpower. Cosima Marriner, Editor of The Australian Financial Review, explains why 85% of Australians have more confidence in brands that show up in news environments, and how the investment mindset translates to massive opportunity for advertisers.

CosimaMarriner_IMG

Pictured: Cosima Marriner (left) and Ashleigh Thomas (right)

In a landscape dominated by blunt keyword blocking and hyper-cautious brand safety metrics, many advertisers are inadvertently locking themselves out of the most influential rooms in the country. This is a missed ‘context dividend’.

In the third episode of The News Effect series, Ashleigh Thomas sits down with Cosima Marriner to discuss how the AFR’s 70-year legacy of authority creates a unique environment where readers are consuming news and preparing to take action.

The power of accuracy without an agenda

Trust in the Financial Review is built on a foundation of rigorous sourcing and a commitment to reporting without a premeditated bias.

“The only thing we care about is if it’s going to bolster prosperity for the country,” Marriner says. “When you read us, you know you are getting news straight down the barrel.”

For a brand, this neutrality is a goldmine. Appearing alongside trusted reporting transfers that sense of stability and reliability to the advertiser, providing a level of credibility that social media feeds - often marred by partisan bias - cannot offer.

Tapping into the high performance mindset

The AFR audience is using news as a tool for success. 

“Whether it's getting ahead in their career, building their finances, looking after their wellness, or making the most of their leisure time - they want to be the best at that,” Marriner explains. “You come for the core business news that makes you smarter in the boardroom, but you stay for the stuff that grows your investments or finds the coolest place to holiday.”

For advertisers, this means reaching an audience that is already in a lean-forward state. They are looking for ways to improve their lives and businesses, making them uniquely receptive to premium brand messages.

The case against blunt keyword blocking

One of the biggest hurdles for modern marketers is the use of automated brand safety tools that block ads from appearing near hard news keywords. Marriner argues that this is a fundamental misunderstanding of how the world works in 2026.

Using the conflict in the Middle East as an example, she notes that global events have direct ripple effects on fuel prices, supermarket costs, and business logistics. “If you want to know how that’s going to affect you, you’ve got to be tuned into the news,” she says.

By avoiding these topics, advertisers miss out on a defined, affluent audience of decision-makers exactly when they are most engaged. “Our readers are decision-makers in politics, business, and finance. What they do tends to trickle down,” Marriner adds. “If you want to get to them, you have to be around the news.”

The bottom line for brands

The 'Context Dividend' is simple: when you advertise in an environment of authority, your brand gains authority. With 85% of Australians reporting higher confidence in brands found within news environments, the real risk isn't being near the news, it's being absent from it.

Watch the full interview with Cosima Marriner to discover how the investment mindset can drive growth for your brand.

Want more insights?

Say hello

Let's talk about how Nine's premium publishing ecosystem can elevate your brand's impact.

READY TO CREATE? //

Print Ad Specs
Digital Ad Specs

CONTACT //

Nine ad enquiries

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

How Nine and Magnite Push Programmatic Boundaries

Insights

Nine and Magnite Unpack Programmatic Transparency, Live Streaming, and the Power of Direct Publisher Partnerships

DuaneHatherly_Headshot3

Duane Hatherly

Head of Editorial, Mediaweek

12th May, 2026

JuliaEdwards_MaddyMewing

Pictured: Maddy Mewing (left) and Julia Edwards (right)

Securing millions of eyeballs during prime time looks great on a network press release. However, monetising those streaming audiences at the speed of live television presents a completely different challenge.

Behind the screen, Connected TV (CTV) and programmatic advertising serve as the vital plumbing that turns those viewers into revenue. This unseen engine dictates exactly which ad plays to which household in a matter of milliseconds.

To unpack exactly how this technical wizardry works, we sat down with Julia Edwards, Director of Programmatic Sales at Nine, and Maddy Mewing, Director of Platforms at Magnite, for Mediaweek’s Newsmakers podcast.

A monster first quarter of consumer hits created an equally massive stress test upon the ad tech stack at Nine. Edwards knows the sheer scale of this challenge firsthand.

“We call it the quarter of two quarters,” Edwards said during the podcast. “It has definitely been a remarkable first quarter. Obviously, from a 9Now perspective, we have dominated the key demographics. We have had major hits like Married at First Sight, Winter Olympics, Australian Open.”

Listen to the full podcast with Julia Edwards and Maddy Mewing here.

Busting the Black Box Myth

Packaging those premium viewers often leads marketers into the world of programmatic advertising, where they can reach audiences across multiple publishers in a more scalable and efficient way.

Mewing pushed back on the industry narrative that programmatic advertising remains inherently flawed.

“It hurts me when programmatic is said that it is a black box, because I think if you are with the right partners, that is not the case,” Mewing said. “At Magnite, one of our biggest mantras is transparency. We provide the technology, and the broadcasters use it how they would like it to be used.”

The Challenge to Media Agencies

That direct relationship between publisher and tech partner provides the ultimate weapon for supply path optimisation. When multiple tech intermediaries clip the ticket along the way, working media budgets quickly evaporate.

Mewing laid down a direct challenge to media buyers who still rely on bloated multi-hop supply paths.

“Research shows that 50 to 60 cents of the dollar reaches the publisher,” Mewing noted. “So those intermediaries that come through there, I would challenge your agency: what are those values, who are they, and what are they charging? Demand that transparency so you ensure that all of your dollars are going towards your working media.”

Nine-and-Magnite-programmatic-Maddy-Mewing

Taming the Live Sport Beast

Standard digital campaigns afford buyers the luxury of time to calibrate pacing and delivery. Live sport operates in a completely different reality.

When a major game kicks off, millions log on simultaneously. This traffic surge forces the infrastructure to make split-second decisions without crashing.

“We are talking about bidders that work in milliseconds, right?” Edwards explained. “But a millisecond that has to go to the US West Coast and then come back to an APAC Singapore region to come back to Australia to make a decision in the middle of State of Origin, you have got to make that faster. Any delay is a missed revenue opportunity.”

This exact challenge is why Nine leverages Magnite’s purpose-built live infrastructure, which includes Live Scheduler.

The technology allows Nine to ingest metadata, forecast demand ahead of a big moment, and pre-position inventory rather than reacting blindly to a sudden traffic surge.

The Agentic Future of Buying

The industry currently braces for incoming privacy changes and the rise of artificial intelligence. Consequently, the technical complexity behind the scenes only increases.

“The big buzzword at the moment is agentic, and how that will work within the programmatic ecosystem,” Mewing said, referencing the shift toward automated AI buyers and sellers. “Making sure that there is transparency across the funnel is very hard to just pick up and run. As these technologies mature, they have the potential to streamline workflows, improve decision-making, and unlock greater efficiency across the ecosystem.”

If the industry hands the keys over to automated agents, we’d be best reminded that the most resilient tool in a programmatic tech stack might not a piece of software. But a transparent, human partnership.

Explore the Nine Advantage today

Read More From Our Digital Experts

Looking for more efficient, effective and transparent ways to grow your business? Enquire today.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The News Effect | The Gen Z Curator: Why Quality News is a North Star

EPISODE TWO //

The Gen Z Curator

Why Quality News is a North Star

Contrary to the myth that younger audiences have checked out of traditional media, Gen Z is proving to be the most discerning and news hungry demographic yet. Lisa Muxworthy, Head of Growth Content for Nine Publishing, breaks down how The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age are meeting this story-first generation.

LisaMuxworthy_IMG_2

Pictured: Lisa Muxworthy (left) and Ashleigh Thomas (right)

There is a massive misconception that Gen Z has abandoned the news. In reality, the data tells a completely different story. This is a generation of curators who actively manage information from five or more sources simultaneously, and they are the demographic most inclined to pay for a news subscription.

In the second episode of The News Effect series, Ashleigh Thomas is joined by Lisa Muxworthy to discuss how Nine is evolving its distribution to reach this audience without compromising on editorial authority.

From article-first to story-first

To reach an audience that lives across social feeds, Nine has shifted its approach to content delivery. According to Muxworthy, the goal is to meet Gen Z where they are, rather than waiting for them to find a traditional landing page.

“The biggest shift for us has been video – it’s increasingly audience-first,” Muxworthy explains. “When we have a big investigation, it’s not just a long read. It’s a 90-second video giving the behind-the-scenes, and it’s a podcast episode on The Morning Edition featuring the reporter behind the story. It’s gone past being ‘article-first’ to being ‘story-first.’”

The subscription mindset

Gen Z’s willingness to pay for news comes from a place of skepticism. In a digital environment flooded with unverified claims, they are looking for a professional source to act as their personal fact-checker.

“They have a really healthy news diet,” says Muxworthy. “What they want from us is trust and authority. They are seeing things in their social feed fed by an algorithm and using our brands to say, ‘Okay, is this correct or not?’”

As AI-generated content makes it harder to distinguish fiction from fact, the value of having boots on the ground – whether it’s a reporter in a local courtroom or a foreign correspondent in Lebanon – provides a level of validation that an algorithm cannot match.

Breaking the echo chamber

One of the greatest risks of a social-only news diet is the echo chamber effect, where algorithms serve users content that only reinforces their existing beliefs. Muxworthy argues that Gen Z’s habit of consulting multiple sources shows a desire to be challenged – a need that heritage mastheads are uniquely positioned to fill.

“We should all be challenged. We should be hearing both sides of a story,” Muxworthy notes. “Whether it’s balanced reporting or hearing a different opinion that you might not agree with, it makes you think.”

The bottom line for brands

For advertisers, the 'Gen Z Curator' represents a high-value opportunity. This audience isn't passive; they are active, engaged, and willing to invest in quality. By appearing alongside trusted journalism, brands align themselves with the authority and credibility that this generation is actively seeking.

As Muxworthy concludes: “They don’t want AI sludge. They want to pay for a service they can trust. Journalism will be around for many years because of what we are able to give our audiences.”

Watch the full interview with Lisa Muxworthy to learn how the next generation is reshaping the future of news.

Want more insights?

Say hello

Let's talk about how Nine's premium publishing ecosystem can elevate your brand's impact.

READY TO CREATE? //

Print Ad Specs
Digital Ad Specs

CONTACT //

Nine ad enquiries

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.