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March 20, 2002

Stephanie --15, Australia

I think that if there were more interesting news readers, and better looking newsreaders (say Brad Pitt), it would definitely attract younger viewers!

Lance -- 21, Australia

I think the media should be more youth friendly, by actually reporting about things youth actually care about such as a gaming console launch or a concert report.

Sherly -- 16, Australia

What do I want from the news? Younger and more enthusiastic people! Not everyone wants to see and hear every single day a dull boring reporter. A lot of people in Australia have come home to relax not to listen to a boring, non- exciting report. Dramatizing the news is a great way to start a news report.

Jules -- 14, Australia

The program could be improved by: Snappy beginning music; Good jokes being cracked; More casual reporters; interviews with people we can really relate to; or just have a section made especially for us.

Liesel -- 15, Australia

I think that the news is fine as it is. They shouldn't pretend they're reading notes off the papers in front of them, because that's just stupid. Sometimes it gets a bit boring, but generally it's OK.

Julie -- 15, Australia

Channels need more news relevant to young people; e.g., upcoming Gamecube and X Box release and computer games. They also need less stories that only affect a small amount of people.

Becky -- 14, Australia

I think that the news should be more graphic in showing its pictures. That way, younger people would be more interested in seeing what's on the news. The presenters should be more casual in they way they inform the viewers. That way, the younger viewers won't necessarily feel that the news is targeted for the older generation.

Heidi -- 14, Australia

Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I don't really think the youth of Australia is thought of when it comes to the news. What young people want is news that's more casual, and not so formal. We want the type of news that we can relate to ourselves and that effects us, and we don't want a whole load of unnecessary details - we already get overloads of information at school. We don't want to have to listen to more blabbering on. Thank you.

Emma -- 14, Australia

Most of Australia's youth is fairly happy with how the news is set out. If they don't want to watch it they won't, if they do they will. And obviously they don't mind how it is set out, seeing as it is being watched. The news is about serious stories, getting the 'news' of today, yesterday and tomorrow out to the public.

It is not about fancy gimmicks and advertisements, although these are included frequently in news programs. In my opinion the news is fine how it is; If people want more enjoyable news, they can listen to the radio. I believe "'brightening" the news is absolutely not an essential to life.

Maisie -- 14, Australia

I think that the news needs to treat young people as human beings. We all have different interests, and different attention spans. A quicker report would be all right, but only if it could give the reader/listener the same amount of information. Also,, if the reporters where younger, then I know I for one would watch the news more often.

If the news corporations hired reporters fresh from Uni (young people who have a young persons view of the world) then more people of the X and MTV generations would tune in to watch. And graphics wouldn't be such a bad idea either. I know that in Australia, we don't have the small box in the corner of the TV screen with the pictures in it and that would definitely catch the attention of the watcher.

Logan -- 15, Australia

To get through to today's youth, you must be casual, yet informative. Throw in a few jokes here and there to break the ice. Try and make the language less formal, in order for young people to gain a better understanding of the topic.

Amy -- 14, Australia

I think that young people are looking for a news report that tells us what's going on in a straightforward, casual way. I, for one, HATE it when the reporter tells us the latest news, gives us all this information- but they do it all in a totally monotonous voice! You almost fall asleep just listening to it!

Also, the news goes way too slowly- most of us only catch snippets of it as we're on our way to work or to meet friends, so we need to get all the relevant information quickly and easily. It would help it the news people did issues that interested us- who really wants to hear about a high speed car chase in a different country? It's almost as bad as the news itself!

I would bet my life on the fact that when I go home and watch the news this evening, 3/4 of it will be on grim news issues - murder trials, what's going on in Afghanistan.... Geez, that's what I want to hear about - not! Think lighter, more casual stories, like the birth of a new polar bear in a zoo, or something that will catch our attention. Please -- we need something faster, lighter, more casual, otherwise we'll be likely to not watch any news at all.

Sally -- 14, Australia

I think that the news presenters should be a little more casual by adding a few jokes. I also think that they should add more graphics. They should present stories that is related to us and put more details into it. The news must go faster and they should have a bit at the end about the celebrities.

Charlie -- 14, Australia

Everyone says that all young people want it fast news and flashy graphics, but I don't know about that. I think what young people want is news that is genuine and there, we don't want the newsreaders crapping on about all the details, we want the news, there, true and fast. That doesn't mean that we don't want all the news or that we want it done in a simple format.

We want newsreaders that know what they're talking about and tell the whole story as fast and correctly as they can. I think the other thing we want is news we can relate to. As insensitive as it may seem we don't really care that someone died in Iraq, but if it was a holidaying Australian Teen or an Aussie soldier then that's what we want.

We want news we can trust. We want news that is interesting. Less and less young people have shares so we don't want so long spent on the stock market prices and the rate of the dollar. We want entertainment and sport news and things we know and care about.

Katie -- 15, Australia

I think a main thing we need is less boring TV presenters. All news readers have really slow, annoying, nasal voices and it makes the show really boring. They also spend too long telling us each story. We need younger, more interesting presenters, more like entertainers. We're not in need of colour, flashy pictures and so forth, but it would be better if they made the show less formal. Maybe sit the presenters on couches, instead of behind a desk.

Louie -- 15, Australia

If news corporations want to attract younger viewers then they have to start running stories we actually care about. I don't care about some 80 year old man getting an award for community service, I want the major news stories and stories that affect me. As much as I like my news to be fast, I cant stand so many things scrolling across the screen, its just to much to take in. It means that you can't even listen to one article because so much is going on. Scrolling messages are not the answer to the problem, news simply must contain stories relevant to younger people.

Karina -- 15, Australia

Whatever gimmicks news stations come up with to attract a younger audience will no doubt be corny and patronizing - young people know when they're being talked down to. They could get sexy young news reporters, make everything fast and flashy, and of course the news would be more interesting.

But in my opinion, young people aren't avoiding the news because its boring - but because they simply have more in their lives to pay attention to. Young people, in general, have other things to do besides be at home every night at six to sit in front of the TV.

The majority of the news' audience will always be the older generation(s) because nothing's happening around them, so they check out what's happening in the world around them. What we need to realize is young people are generally very self absorbed - if the news showed stories that actually concern them they'd be more inclined to watch.

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