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.

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.”