Gen Z – Trends, Truth & Trust: A Morning with Channel 4 and the Royal Television Society
- Jon Salmon
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
We love being in Soho, but this was my first time back in a building on Walker’s Court since we used to film music showcases here in the early 2000s.
Wow, how it has changed now Underbelly Limited has moved in! I was invited by the Royal Television Society and Channel 4 for the unveiling of their groundbreaking research: Gen Z – Trends, Truth & Trust.
Understanding the Media Landscape for Gen Z
Channel 4’s latest research explores the challenges facing Gen Z, revealing crucial insights into their consumption habits, trust in media, and engagement with public discourse.
With an expert panel lead by Ros Atkins (BBC News Analysis Editor), Alex Mahon (CEO of Channel 4), Mahnoor Akhlaq (Multimedia Producer, Channel 4 News), Rachel Botsman (Expert on Trust), Oli Dugmore (Editor, JOE), and Nic Newman (Senior Research Associate, Reuters News Institute) dissecting the findings, it became clear that public service media must adapt to new platforms like TikTok and YouTube to remain relevant.
Key Takeaways from Alex Mahon’s Speech
Alex Mahon, CEO of Channel 4, delivered a compelling address, emphasising the urgent need for industry-wide action to protect Gen Z from misinformation online. Some of the the points included:
Gen Z’s growing disillusionment – They are lonelier and less happy than previous generations, with a significant portion feeling disengaged.
A fractured trust in media – Many young people place equal trust in friends, influencers, and alternative online sources as they do traditional journalism.
The role of algorithms – Social media platforms prioritise content that generates outrage and engagement, often at the expense of factual, well-contextualised information.
Alex proposed three major solutions to tackle these challenges:
A Trustmark – A verified badge for professionally produced, regulated media to help audiences distinguish between credible news and misinformation.
Algorithmic Prominence – Ensuring public service content is prioritised on social platforms, rather than suppressed.
AI Regulation – Training large language models on validated public service content to promote accuracy and accountability in automated news distribution.
Why This Matters
The morning’s event was a powerful reminder of how much has changed, not just in Soho, but in the way we consume and interact with media. It’s clear that the industry must evolve just as rapidly as the world around it.
And for those of us working in media, the challenge is set, how do we ensure that the next generation can trust the content they consume and make them feel more connected? One thing is certain and that doing nothing is not an option.
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