PR and communications teams constantly weigh a range of factors to craft the best media strategy. When should we release a story for maximum impact? What types of articles actually attract readers? How can we navigate a crisis effectively? And perhaps most importantly—what news actually gets read?
That’s why we’re excited to share our latest State of Media & Readership Report, offering a deep dive into the key trends, insights, and biggest readership moments of 2024.
What are the takeaways from 2024?
We analyzed over half a million articles, to uncover the most actionable, data-backed takeaways to help inform your media strategy in 2025.
Here’s what stood out:
- The 2024 Election dominated readership. The election generated 4x more readers than any other topic—nearly as much as every other major news story combined. One election-related article alone drew 39M+ readers, the most of any piece in 2024.
- News moves fast. 87% of an article’s readership happens within the first three days. This reinforces the need for swift responses in crisis situations and timely media strategies.
- Op-eds are gaining traction. Readership on opinion pieces is steadily rising, particularly for politics, current events, and societal issues—outpacing general news articles in engagement.
- Syndication extends the reach of paywalled content. Articles syndicated to Yahoo, MSN, and similar aggregators saw a 29% increase in readership—and if the original article was paywalled, that boost climbed to 36%.
- CEOs are under intense scrutiny. Readers pay close attention to executive pay, wealth, and financial decisions—especially when they contrast with company performance or worker wages. Transparency and messaging around leadership decisions matter more than ever.
There’s a lot more to explore in this year’s report, including the biggest readership moments, the headlines that broke through the noise, and how brands can better navigate the media landscape in 2025.
Download the full report to see all the findings.