After years spent chasing clicks, scrolls and breaking alerts, digital media is entering a quieter, more deliberate phase. In 2026, publishers are likely to focus less on grabbing attention and more on earning it, as audiences overwhelmed by information become choosier about what they read, watch and listen to.
That shift is described by digital publishing platform PressReader as the rise of “intentional media” — content people actively choose because it fits into their routines, helps them understand the world or offers moments of calm amid daily noise.
“People still care deeply about content,” PressReader chief executive Ruairí Doyle said. “But they’re stretched across platforms, navigating AI’s impact and protecting their time and attention.”
Data from PressReader, which tracked 3.34 billion article opens across 139 countries in 2025, suggests that readers are already reshaping their habits. Non-news content such as food, health, puzzles and lifestyle features accounted for nearly half of total reading time last year, narrowing the gap with traditional news. By the end of 2026, PressReader expects non-news to make up at least 55 percent of audience minutes.
The trend reflects growing news fatigue. The Reuters Institute and Pew Research Center have documented rising anxiety linked to news consumption, alongside a steady increase in news avoidance. On PressReader’s platform, the number of readers primarily consuming political content fell by 12 percent in 2025, reversing gains seen a year earlier.
Yet this does not mean audiences are abandoning journalism altogether. Newspapers still represented more than 85 percent of the content read on PressReader last year. What is changing, analysts say, is the role news plays in people’s lives.
“What people are doing is selecting media that gives them something back — clarity, comfort or a sense of progress,” Doyle said. “Utility and joy beat confrontation and fatigue.”
Another major shift expected in 2026 is the rise of what PressReader calls “ambient news,” where artificial intelligence reshapes how journalism is delivered rather than how it is reported. AI-generated summaries, audio briefings and personalized digests are increasingly becoming entry points to news, especially for younger readers.
“AI is not just a tool — it’s a new delivery layer,” Doyle said, arguing that journalism will be consumed in formats tailored to context: a short briefing while making coffee, a 30-second update before a meeting, or a two-minute audio explainer on a walk.
As AI becomes infrastructure, trust is emerging as a product feature rather than an abstract ideal. Calm tone, clear labeling and transparency around how content is produced — including how AI is used — are becoming central to retaining audiences.
Pew data show that a majority of U.S. readers say news makes them feel angry, sad or fearful at least some of the time. Publishers responding to that reality are emphasizing explanation over alarm and clearly distinguishing between reporting, analysis and opinion.
For media companies navigating 2026, the challenge is not simply to be faster or louder, but to be more intentional — designing journalism that supports real life, rather than competes with it.
