The Loneliness Economy Rises — and Social Media Rules for Gen Z News

In today’s episode, we explore two evolving media trends that reveal how our world—and the PR strategies around it—are shifting: The Loneliness Economy: Brands are now monetizing isolation through AI companions, rent-a-friend services, solo travel experiences, and emotional wellness subscriptions. We unpack how loneliness has become a lucrative market and question whether these solutions truly heal— or commodify—human connection. Gen Z & News Consumption: A new report from Google and Kantar reveals that a staggering 91% of Gen Z get their news via social media. We discuss what this means for news authenticity, the role of algorithms in shaping attention, and how PR strategies must adapt to reach—and resonate with—their feeds. Tune in to understand how emotional needs and platform behavior are redefining media, marketing, and messaging in 2025.