As Australia’s news audience shifts online, advertisers are following. Recent data show 22 million Australians (aged 14+) now engage with news each month – more people than those eating vegetables or drinking milk weekly.

A survey by the ACMA found Australians used an average of 3.1 different news sources in 2023 (down from 3.5 in 2022). Free-to-air TV still leads as the single most common main news source (26%), but 23% of Aussies now cite news websites or apps as their primary news source. Social media is rapidly catching up: 20% named it their main news source in 2023 (up from 17% in 2022) – especially among younger people.

• 22 million Australians consume news monthly.
  
• 93% of news readers consult multiple brands or outlets each month.
• 23% cite news websites/apps as their main source (versus 26% for TV)
• 20% rely on social media as their top news source (a growing cohort)

This massive digital audience represents a huge opportunity for advertisers. Digital news platforms (newspaper and broadcaster websites, news apps, online video) now attract more attention than ever. But the big question is how readers actually interact with the ads served up alongside all this content. Do they notice them? Do they trust them?

Trust Drives Engagement – But Also Skepticism

Ads shown alongside credible news benefit from a “trust halo.” An IAB study found 84% of consumers say ads within trusted news sites increase or maintain brand trust IAB Australia.

But Australians are also deeply concerned about privacy. A Yahoo/Magna survey revealed 86% feel unclear or unprotected online, and just 14% feel they have the tools to safeguard their data Yahoo & Magna.

Lucy Formosa Morgan of Magna says this mistrust “makes it harder for brands to connect with audiences,” unless transparency is improved.

Why Many Ads Go Ignored

Australian consumers often tune out ads they see too often, too vaguely, or too invasively. This is due to:

• “Banner blindness” – visual fatigue from repetitive placements
  
• Poor relevance – generic ads that don’t match the content
  
• Privacy concerns – suspicion of being tracked or manipulated
  
• Intrusive formats – pop-ups, auto-play videos, etc.
  

Despite this, when ads are clearly relevant, Australians do respond. A Yahoo study showed that approval for personalised ads jumped 88% when consumers were informed about how their data was used.

Ad Blockers, Awareness and Opportunity

While about 27% of Australians use ad blockers IAB 2016, most are open to turning them off for quality content. IAB found 62% of users complied when politely asked to disable blockers.

To succeed in this environment, experts recommend:

• Advertising within trusted news environments
  
• Ensuring relevance and contextual fit
  
• Prioritising user privacy and clear communication
  
• Using less intrusive, mobile-friendly formats

The Bottom Line

In short, Australian news readers want quality journalism – and they’re increasingly willing to see ads alongside it, but only if the ads respect their intelligence, privacy and time. As one industry study puts it, “adding channels [in trusted contexts] will… increase brand awareness and consideration,” but only if marketers focus on the right kind of attention.