A recent report titled “Media Consumption in an Evolving Digital World” presents a valuable chance for traditional media outlets to cater to the preferences of the younger generation in Kenya.
The report reveals that six out of ten Kenyan youths desire media platforms to offer more content focused on wealth creation. Additionally, 56 percent of respondents expressed their interest in content that guides them towards achieving financial independence. Furthermore, 37 percent of individuals aged 18 to 35 expressed their desire for media outlets to provide insights on saving money for unforeseen circumstances and meeting their family’s needs.
These findings are part of a comprehensive survey conducted by the Media Innovation Centre of The Aga Khan University, titled “Media Consumption in an Evolving Digital World: Millennials and Digital Natives’ Consumption Habits and Implications for Legacy Media in East Africa.”
According to the study, millennials and Generation Z individuals seek engaging, visually appealing, easily accessible, accurate, and affordable content. Surprisingly, they do not prioritize content brevity, comprehensiveness, adequacy, or intricate details when consuming media.
Millennials are typically individuals aged between 25 and 35 years, while Generation Z refers to those born between 1997 and 2012. Generation Z grew up during a period marked by the rise of social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok, which greatly influenced their digital consumption habits.
However, many young Kenyans face economic challenges, with only 20 percent claiming to have achieved financial independence. The survey indicated that merely two out of ten respondents had initiated their careers, and 11 percent were involved in entrepreneurial pursuits.
The majority of youths mentioned that they consume news to stay informed about current events. Additionally, 25 percent reported that they seek news as a means of escaping societal expectations and stereotypes.
While 52 percent of millennials and Generation Z individuals have never paid for content, the remaining 48 percent acknowledged paying for or currently paying for popular news, sports coverage, current affairs, politics, and entertainment-related content.
Those who pay for content mentioned spending between Kes11 and Kes100 per day. Young individuals desire easily accessible content with minimal barriers (such as pay-per-article models) and appreciate flexibility, such as shared accounts.
Shared accounts allow them to access a variety of news and media content (in bundled packages) and offer simpler payment methods.
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