Fög study predicts declining media use and growing platform power

Media use in Switzerland will continue to decline until 2035, shift strongly to digital and be increasingly characterized by platforms and AI providers. At the same time, trust in professional journalism and its democratic importance will remain central. The greater trust in journalism is likely to be further accentuated in direct comparison with digital platforms. The findings of the study indicate a clear need for political action, particularly with regard to media funding, the protection of intellectual property and the promotion of media literacy.

The new study "Media Use 2035 - Study on the Future of Information Media" by the Research Center for the Public Sphere and Society (fög) at the University of Zurich, sponsored by the Swiss Media Publishers Association (VSM), analyzes international trends, empirical usage data for Switzerland and experts' assessments of the future of journalism. It sees a great need for action.

Zero-click effects will continue to increase

"Our study concludes that the demand for journalistic news is likely to continue to fall in the long term and that usage will become more fragmented," says Mark Eisenegger, Director of fög. "Digital channels dominate, while platforms and AI chatbots in particular continue to rapidly gain in importance as a means of accessing information. Journalistic content is increasingly being used commercially without media companies achieving reach or revenue, so-called "zero-click" effects."

In the view of the fög, purely market-based financing of journalism is not sufficient under these conditions. The study points to the need for effective and future-oriented media funding in order to ensure quality, diversity and regional reporting in the long term. At the same time, better protection of intellectual property is considered crucial.

Compensation models required for use by AI bots

"Platforms and AI providers systematically use journalistic services without remunerating them appropriately," says Andrea Masüger, President of VSM. The study shows that remuneration models for the use of journalistic content by AI bots are becoming increasingly important. The VSM is committed to the rapid implementation of the motion by FDP member of the Council of States Petra Gössi, which was adopted by the National Council and the Council of States and lays the foundation for this.

The study also shows that media literacy is a decisive factor for the future of journalism. "People with media literacy use news more frequently and, according to the fög, are more willing to pay for journalistic content," says VSM Director Pia Guggenbühl. The fög therefore sees the promotion of media literacy as a long-term investment in a functioning democratic public sphere. This will be a key topic for the VSM in 2026.