Do People Still Want to Read About Sustainability?

Following the U.S. presidential election in November, about two-thirds of Americans are avoiding political news due to feelings of "fatigue" and "information overload." That's according to polling released by NORC at the University of Chicago and the Associated Press late last month. Cable news channels saw double-digit declines in viewership, while traffic to major news websites tumbled in December compared to the months prior, Axios reported. 

The last time Donald Trump was elected president, people tuned into the news more than ever, sending a “historic level of subscription and traffic boosts" to major publishers, reported Sara Fischer and Neal Rothschild of Axios. Media insiders referred to the trend as the "Trump bump," and many are wondering whether short-term news avoidance will give way to another windfall during his second term.

Wall Street seems to think so, as stock prices for many U.S. media companies rose faster than the broader market following the election, the International News Media Association reports. Yet experts told The New York Times they expect the boost to be less pronounced than in 2016 as audiences become "fed up with or exhausted by mainstream news coverage."

While many in the media industry are waiting to see if people's attention returns to the news, we at TriplePundit have some more specific questions. As a publisher covering environmental and social issues, we touch on topics that are intrinsically complex and often overwhelming — from income and wealth inequalities, to the impacts of pollution and climate change. With audiences already drained by the incessant drumbeat of the 24-hour news cycle, we can't help but wonder: Do people still want to read about sustainability? 

How people feel about sustainability news right now

News consumption habits are known to fluctuate around elections, as audiences blasted with advertisements and political messaging grow weary and retract. Although the majority of Americans are avoiding political news, more than 40 percent say they're also reading less about economic issues and climate change, according to the AP-NORC survey. 

Recent polling from the Pew Research Center gives further insight as to why. In particular, 8 in 10 Americans say climate news “makes them feel frustrated about the level of political disagreement on the issue," according to Pew's research published in December. Nearly half of Americans report "feeling confused" by all of the information they see about climate change, and respondents were split as to whether climate policies benefit them, with Democrats more likely to say these policies help the U.S. economy and Republicans more likely to say they don't. 

But beneath the unsurprising political divide, Pew's data reflects a quiet shift. Although most Americans said coverage of climate change makes them feel sad, a growing segment say climate news and information leaves them feeling "optimistic we can address the issue." Across the political aisle, 45 percent of respondents to Pew's December survey responded optimistically to climate coverage, up 7 percentage points compared to October 2023. More than half said climate news makes them feel "motivated to do more" to address the issue. 

Inspiring audiences in an age of news avoidance

All of this tells us that although some people are turning away from coverage of sustainability issues like climate change and economic inequality, others are keen to access this information and say it leaves them feeling motivated, optimistic and inspired. 

Some of this may come down to the type of coverage they view. For example, a 2024 Reuters report found that 55 percent of self-proclaimed news avoiders are interested in more positive stories, and 46 percent said they're seeking stories about solutions. 

TriplePundit's shift to solutions journalism in October 2023 came in direct response to this type of feedback. Nearly half of TriplePundit readers told us they were interested in “inspiring stories about solutions to big challenges,” and more than 45 percent were looking for more stories about “technologies, systems, and ideas that tackle global challenges like climate change and poverty.” We worked with the research technology firm Glow to survey the general U.S. population, and nearly 40 percent were looking for the same.

In the 16 months since, we've launched solutions series on topics like reusable packaging and mining for the low-carbon energy transition, with an overwhelming positive response from readers. 3p assistant editor Taylor Haelterman represented our newsroom in the Solutions Journalism Network's 2024 Climate Solutions Cohort, which brought solutions coverage of climate issues to audiences in rural America who aren't often exposed to climate news. 

Where sustainability topics like climate change and poverty can easily overwhelm, we and a growing number of news platforms see solutions coverage as a viable alternative to keep people informed in a way that leaves them motivated rather than depressed. Though no one knows how audience attention will shift in 2025 and beyond, for our part we feel more convinced than ever that solutions journalism has a place in sustainability — and that it can be a positive force that inspires people to learn more through the news and act within their communities.  

What do you think? Do you expect to read more or less about sustainability and social issues this year, and are there any topics in particular you'd like to see TriplePundit cover? Tell us about it here.