Australians are turning to news content more than ever, with new Roy Morgan data showing 22.4 million people aged 14 and over engage with news publishing each month.
That represents 97 percent of the population and reinforces news as one of the most central parts of everyday life.
In weekly behaviour, reading news is more common than a trip to the supermarket, with 89 percent of Australians reading news versus 78 percent making a grocery visit. News also outranks everyday behaviours such as eating fruit or drinking coffee.
The figures come at a time when advertisers are seeking environments that offer genuine reach without the impact of ad blockers or ad-free subscriptions.
On this measure, news publishing again performs strongly, with 97.1 percent monthly addressable reach and 87.4 percent weekly addressable reach.
News trusted nearly 3x more than social media
Trust still remains a major differentiator.
According to the data, Australians rate news publishing as one of the most trusted sources of news and current affairs, with 28.2 percent saying it is their most trusted source, compared with only 10 percent who trust social media most.
Given the well-established link between trust and advertising effectiveness, the findings underline why news continues to deliver strong brand outcomes.
ThinkNewsBrands CEO Vanessa Lyons said: “These results send a powerful message: Australians turn to news because they trust it. They read it more often than they go to the supermarket, and they trust it nearly three times more than social media. That depth of confidence speaks to the authority and integrity that news publishing brings, not just for audiences but for brands seeking a credible environment.”
Reading remains a go-to-way to consume news
More Australians read their news than watch or listen to it.
Reading leads with 53 percent engagement, ahead of watching at 47 percent and listening at 28 percent.
The appetite for reading reflects a desire for depth, analysis and variety. Australians engage with an average of 4.2 content categories each month, spanning general news, property, sport, entertainment and culture.
General news remains the most-read category with 96 percent engagement. Property follows at 70 percent, then sport at 56 percent and entertainment and culture at 52 percent.
The wide spread of interests across news brands provides broad and specialised opportunities for marketers.
The audience spans national titles, local mastheads, and special interest sections, offering advertisers the ability to reach consumers in both scale and contextually relevant environments.