TikTok vs. Traditional Media: How Gen Z Gets Their News article by Kaveeshan Gnanarajah

 TikTok vs. Traditional Media: How Gen Z Gets Their News

There was a time when families would gather around the TV every evening to watch the news together, trusting professional journalists to tell them what mattered most that day. But for you, that probably feels like ancient history. If you want to know what’s happening in the world, you’re way more likely to open TikTok or scroll through your favorite social media app than to turn on a news channel. Compared to older generations who still rely on TV or newspapers, the way you get your information is completely different. And honestly, the shift isn’t just about convenience, it’s about trust, format, and how you see the world.

So why is this happening? First, social media is incredibly easy to consume. Scrolling through your phone is far more convenient than sitting down to watch a scheduled news program. Social media has become the new age for getting information.  TikTok acts as a search engine for Gen Z, where they can watch multiple points of view, including personal stories, on particular news topics. There's also a trust issue with traditional media like CNN or CNBC or even FOX News that can't be ignored. Many people simply don't believe that truly unbiased news organizations exist anymore. They'd rather hear from real people sharing their own experiences than from talking heads reading teleprompters. But here’s the thing, this change comes with some big concerns. New AI tools like Sora AI are now able to generate fake videos that look so real, it’s getting almost impossible to tell what’s true and what’s not. Every day, it gets harder to spot the difference between real news and something completely made up by artificial intelligence. That means you have to stay focused and question what you see online, even if it looks totally legit

By:
Kaveeshan Gnanarajah