Interest in and consumption of news content has been on the downtrend in recent years. Traditional news sources and media, in particular, have been seeing a steady decline in engagement.
This trend is both global and local and affecting both traditional and digital media. The rise of digital heralded the slow death of print, resulting in the closure of many publications. As for news in particular, studies by the Reuters Institute show interest in news sliding while news avoidance has been increasing in recent years. The 13th edition of the Digital News Report, which is based on a YouGov survey of more than 95,000 people in 47 countries from six continents, notes declining online news engagement, with the dip sharper among younger users and those without a university degree. Selective news avoidance is at the highest level, with news fatigue seen as one of the biggest reasons why more people are steering clear of news.
In the Philippines, a similar growing disinterest in and disengagement with news has been noted in recent years even as news organizations and media have been making strides in boosting their presence across various digital platforms. Only 46 percent of Filipinos surveyed for Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2024 considered themselves extremely or very interested in news, a drop from 52 percent the previous year’s report and 69 percent in 2020. The percentage drop is the fourth consecutive year decline since 2020.
The percentage of Filipinos avoiding news is higher the 39 percent global average at 47 percent. Sharing of news has also decreased at only 42 percent of those surveyed saying they pass on news content to others.
Younger Pinoys aged 18 to 24 show the most disinterest in news.
News access is among the top five reasons (aged 16) users go to the internet in the Digital 2025 Philippines report from We Are Social and Meltwater. However, it still trails behind staying in touch with friends and family (top 1 reason), finding information, researching how to do things, and watching videos, TV shows or movies. News sites are at the bottom list of types of websites visited and apps used.
Why the declining engagement
As with other global news consumers, trust in news content and media is increasingly a top concern among Filipinos. This is even more apparent now with fake news widespread and the majority of Filipinos admitting to having difficulty distinguishing between fake and real news. Fifty-five percent of Filipino respondents in a Social Weather Stations survey early this year commissioned by Stratbase Group said they see fake news in traditional and social media frequently. Nearly 60 percent of respondents consider the prevalence of fake news on the internet a serious problem.
Fake news and disinformation, the incidences of which surged even more after Duterte was brought to the Hague and during the campaign period for the May 2025 elections, were the main reasons pointed out by those surveyed in the Pahayag 2025 First Quarter study by Publicus Asia Inc. conducted between March 15 and 20, 2025. The survey revealed continued decline in trust in mainstream media.
If not distrust, the lack of interest or avoidance is linked to news fatigue or simply the need for a break from all the grim and bleak news both local and international. Persistent negative, if not troubling, political and economic information, news about war, violence, drugs and all sorts of crimes are not only disheartening but can wear out readers, even cause (mental) health issues.
Irresponsible news reporting and unprofessional or unethical practices of some journalists and their organizations have also caused some Pinoy news consumers to avoid news content. Increasing use of AI in producing and spreading news content is not helping ease people’s concerns. The rise of pseudo news sites with bloggers or influencers acting as journalists has not contributed to fixing the problem either, instead exacerbating the influx of misinformation and disinformation.
Evolving content preferences among internet users, in particular younger ones who dominate the virtual world and whose continued patronage or lack thereof can make or break a site’s virtual status and revenues, also play a crucial role in all these. With content that’s more entertaining the preference of many netizens, more sites are producing such content and deprioritizing news or informative material. In fact, more sites of the entertainment nature have been emerging and continue to emerge.
The same predilection for entertaining content is the reason behind the relentless popularity of video content and the resulting shift of many websites to producing videos. Even news sites now churn out videos or create video versions of their text news. Short-form videos, in particular, have been rising in popularity.
Why not? After all, TikTok has been increasingly the platform of choice for accessing and consuming news for a growing number of internet users. Facebook remains a major source of news for many Filipinos, but more are switching to TikTok for their news updates. Whether that’s good or bad in the long run, time and history will tell.
Impact on PR
A persistent drop in news interest and engagement could pose some challenges for public relations.
The media is one of the key stakeholders that PR professionals and agencies work with constantly. Increasing media distrust impacts this partnership and the success of their collaboration. Distrust in media could spill over to the media’s PR partners or the PR stories the media carries or disseminates.
Lower media coverage affects practically the entire spectrum of a PR company’s work. It impinges on how an agency influences public opinion and creates the desired public perception for their clients. The execution and success of communication and PR strategies can be undermined.
Decreased consumption of news could spur journalists, editors and media organizations to prioritize other content types and turn their attention away for press releases and other PR content to please their target audience and attract even more new followers. This makes pitching stories even more arduous, if not onerous.
Reduced news opportunities through press releases means less coverage and exposure for clients and their brands. Less awareness about the company, its brand(s), campaigns and activities translates to decreased engagement from and with the public. This diminishes brand recall and weakens reputation. It works against relationship-building efforts, which is a core PR function.
As public interest in and consumption of news dips, PR companies will find it difficult to help clients handle crisis or counter negative publicity as effectively. If people are not reading the news or taking their time to read the news, efforts to communicate to the public a company’s stand or actions regarding a crisis or issue will not reach its audience soon enough.
Ultimately, the thing that suffers the most, that receives the brunt of it all is public trust. If the public is not aware of a company or brand, if they feel the company is not being transparent enough with its motivations and actions, they are less likely to engage, support and follow it. Public trust is built upon knowledge of the company’s integrity, accountability and commitment, and these are communicated to the audience through news stories and other articles.
The pivot
The road ahead may be riddled with obstacles, but the cause is not lost for PR. Strategic and creative thinking, one of the pillars of successful PR work, will clear a path.
Build strong partnerships. This situation with declining public interest in news certainly makes the case for the value of establishing strong relationships will stakeholders, including and particularly the media and journalists.
Regularly engage with media partners and journalists. Know them beyond the person that receives emails of press releases. Try establishing a more personal relationship with them. Many companies and PR agencies send gifts to media partners. This is a nice gesture, but it’s not the only way forward. Your media partners will appreciate a deeper, more reliable collaboration.
When sending PR material, provide them only with useful ones, content that is not only relevant to their audience but will help boost their credibility and popularity in both traditional and digital spaces. This makes it a win-win relationship for both parties. A solid relationship with media partners will increase the chances of continued coverage of PR stories and campaigns even when publications are battling low public news consumption.
Build a community. Take the relationship-building a notch higher and build a community with the public. Leverage on-ground campaigns, trade shows and events, and other similar activities to directly engage with target audiences.
The face-to-face interaction and shared experience will create synergy, real connection and trust. Besides enabling two-way learning for the company and its public, this shows brand accessibility and helps broaden reach. A solid community can also counter any fallout from low media coverage caused by declining public interest in news.
Bolster other channels and platforms. There is wisdom in not putting all eggs in just the one basket. Yes, forge lasting relationships with media partners but also invest in other channels and platforms that will bridge the brand to its target public.
This will not only provide alternative ways to disseminate PR content but also cater to the different needs and tastes of a company’s various target markets. It will also provide greater flexibility in terms of the type and format of content that can be shared about a company or brand, in a way demonstrating a company’s creativity while optimizing the overall PR strategy.
Do proactive PR. A PR strategy with a clear vision and foresight built on market research lets the company control its narrative better.
Beyond managing public perception, clear and consistent messaging plus constant monitoring of voice, coverage and mentions will support reputation management and anticipate potential PR nightmares. Having a crisis communication plan equips the company to respond to challenging scenarios and address any issues.
Develop quality content. Nothing beats the old reliable — good-quality content tailored to the audience and the platform. This lets the brand speak directly to its audience.
No matter the format or type, be it text, video, short-form video, audio or podcast, whether it discusses trends or issues, ensure the content is compelling, relatable, accurate and engaging. Adapt the material to the platform to maximize the benefits of that medium and communicate with the specific audience more effectively. If necessary, veer a bit from traditional news or provide greater value than ordinary news and explore new content types depending on the message, target recipient and platform.
PR work involves a lot of snags and difficulties, and declining public news interest and engagement is just one of these challenges. With resourcefulness inherent in PR professionals and PR companies, this bump in the road is part of the journey that makes the ride all the more interesting and rewarding.
Sources
- https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/people-are-turning-away-news-heres-why-it-may-be-happening
- https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2024
- https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2024/philippines
- https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/06/17/2363525/more-filipinos-losing-interest-news-digital-news-report-2024
- https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2043443/sws-most-filipinos-see-fake-news-as-serious-problem
- https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-philippines
- https://www.publicusasia.com/posts/press%20release/trust-in-mainstream-media-declines-amid-fake-news-disinformation
