It seems Kiwis don’t distrust the media as much as they used to. What’s more, they’re even seeking out content written by journalists more often. The latest AUT Trust in News report shows that 37% of New Zealanders now trust “most news most of the time,” up from 32% last year. This is the first meaningful lift after years of decline.
Bit of a shame we have around half the number of journalists working in NZ today compared to ten years ago, but we’ll tackle that another day.
Us writerly folk have been manifesting the journalistic comeback for a while now, as have some of our clever clients who’ve been doubling down on proactive media approaches while their competitors have been far too busy making noise with AI tools.
You see, we’re all slopped out.
Our feeds are now too shiny and too samey and we can’t always put our finger on it, but we can feel it in our eyeballs and our brains – the hazy, glazy fuzzy-round-the-edges feeling, reminiscent of being slumped over a desk in the back row of history class.
The weird little decisions humans made to decorate their sentences aren’t there anymore. And we miss them. Because they were always revealing. A humble brag just isn't the same in list form.
Finding sentences strung together by actual humans is not easy these days, but we assume the people employed by reputable media outlets are still doing the hard yards and the AUT study suggests we’re starting to value that again, even if we won’t admit it out loud.
What’s clear is that we’re not just trusting just any old journalist though – Radio NZ is the top dog, and the Waikato Times is right up there too. Think outlets with established editorial standards - and proof-readers.
The cult of personality also packs a punch - journalists who infuse their vibe artfully in their prose are reaping the rewards.
The message for business in all this is simple:
It felt too good to be true – and it was.
Not all pieces of ‘content’ are made equal.
Journalists rock.
You need PR in your life.
You’re welcome.
