Bridging the gap: ThinkNewsBrands is lifting the curtain on journalism

Published Mediaweek

CEO Vanessa Lyons explains why trust, verification and news environments matter more than ever for audiences and brands.

Trust has become one of the most valuable assets in our industry.

Yet we are living in a world overflowing with misinformation and increasingly sophisticated AI-generated content. Information has never been more accessible, but it has also never been harder to distinguish what is verified from what is not.

Australians recognise this challenge. Australia leads the world in concern about misinformation, with 74 per cent of Australians identifying it as a major concern. Almost two in five Australians now actively turn to trusted news environments to fact-check information they counter on social platforms.

At a time like this, media literacy is not simply about identifying misinformation. It is about understanding what professional journalism looks like, how it is produced, and why the process behind it matters.

Understanding trusted journalism

That is why ThinkNewsBrands launched @newsunlocked_AU.

Featuring journalists from across Nine, News Australia and Seven West Media, News Unlocked gives Australians greater visibility into the people, processes and professional standards behind trusted news.

The content takes audiences behind the scenes of Australian newsrooms, showcasing how stories are researched, verified and produced. Journalists share the realities of reporting, the relationships built over years, the early morning starts, asking the difficult questions, and fact-checking that goes far behind a quick online search.

Through News Unlocked, we want Australians to better understand what happens before a story reaches publication, and what distinguishes professional journalism from the growing volume of unverified content online.

Take reporter Millie Muroi, economics writer at the Sydney Morning Herald, who covered the Reserve Bank’s interest rate decisions. Journalists like her are placed in a ‘lock-up’ held without phone access while being given early sight of the Board’s reasoning ahead of public release.

Why it matters

Journalism continues to play an essential role in helping Australians make sense of a complex world.

When major events occur, Australians seek trusted, verified sources of information. Nine in ten Australians consume news every week, while half start their day with news.

Even Gen Z, often perceived as disengaged from news, continue to place significant value on journalism. More than half of Gen Z regularly consume five or more news sources, and Australians under 35 have the highest willingness to pay for digital news subscriptions.

This matters because social cohesion depends on people have access to information they can trust. Imagine a world without journalists, society would be left with little more than speculation, opinion and hot takes to help us navigate increasingly complex issues.

News Unlocked is designed to help Australians better understand the value and work that sits behind journalism they rely on each day.

Why it matters for brands

The same standards that make journalism valuable to society are what make news valuable for brands.

Professional journalism is built on verification, accountability and transparency. Those qualities create trust. Trust creates attention. And together, trust and attention create an environment that drives commercial outcomes.

The evidence is clear with 85 per cent of Australians report greater confidence in a brand when they encounter it in a news environment.

Where brands choose to show up matters. And increasingly, trust is one of the most valuable assets a brand can earn.

News has never mattered more

Understanding what distinguishes professional journalism from other forms of content has never been more important. Neither has understanding the value that trusted journalism creates for audiences and advertisers.

Through News Unlocked, ThinkNewsBrands is lifting the curtain on the craft of journalism – the people, processes and standards behind trusted news.

Because in a world where anyone can create content, news has never mattered more.