There’s some strange stuff happening in America, and it’s all over TikTok! .A reporter, a cartoon fish, shares a story about a potential diabetes cure that got 3.4 million views. Then there’s “News Daddy,” a guy named Dylan, telling his 10.3 million followers about a hotel explosion in Texas, all the way from his home studio in Britain. He even jokes, “Nah, 2024 needs to chill… I need some sleep.”
In the last part, a college student flips through the New York Times, calling the Iowa caucus “just tea, it’s gossip.”
These videos come from regular folks who take news seriously. They’re like the hosts, researchers, and producers all in one. Their videos cover everything from product recalls to serious stuff like the war in Gaza, and they’re competing with big news outlets. News Daddy has more followers than the New York Times, Washington Post, and Daily Mail on TikTok combined. The few influencers I met have over half a billion likes on their videos!
Alex Kellerman, who dresses up as a messy anchor, says people prefer watching someone fun over a boring news reporter. He got into it by accident, talking about a flood in Libya using details from mainstream outlets, and it took off.
In 2020, 9% of young Americans got their news from TikTok. Now, in 2023, it’s up to 32%. To get this generation’s attention, it has to be short and quick, says Jessica Burbank, a creator who simplifies big stories for her Gen Z audience.
Having lots of followers lets these creators build on stories. Julie Urquhart, who covers crime and celebrity news, says her popularity helps her land interviews with people connected to the stories. Creators think their appeal comes from being real, something mainstream news lacks. They believe their passion behind the stories is what catches the audience’s attention.
News creators are changing the game, and news publishers worldwide are taking notice. Over half of them plan to put more effort into sharing stories on TikTok this year.
As trust in mass media drops, these TikTok news folks might be onto something good. They’re finding ways to make news stories more interesting and relevant to young internet users, as we head into a busy election year, expect more TikTok newscasters co-opting headlines to grow their followings, entertain people, and spread the news.
