You might not think a member of Gen Z (or, hey, anyone) would watch a 10-minute video about a single newspaper article. But Kelsey Russell is doing just that, and fans are loving every second.
Within a matter of months, Russell has made waves with younger generations through her videos talking about the articles she finds interesting, across subject matters and newspapers, garnering nearly 100,000 TikTok followers.
Russell tells TODAY.com her account's goal is to get Gen Z enthusiastic about print news as a way to increase media literacy.
"The newspaper is drama," Russell said in an August video about her mission. "That's why I want Gen Z to read it. It's literally gossip, and you know we love the gossip."
In her videos, usually filmed at a kitchen table, Russell walks through a news story with the enthusiasm of a campfire story. She provides colorful background commentary like, "Don't ever let anybody tell you the Wall Street Journal is not for the girlies," and, "Most government is very, very messy."
Her repackaging of print media seems to be working, as many fans have commented that they have purchased print subscriptions after watching Russell’s videos.
“I’m loving this so much! Makes me wanna be an informed hottie even more,” TikTok user @withlovedobetter commented.
Russell wasn't always an avid consumer of physical newspapers. She asked for her first print subscription of the New York Times as a birthday present, and an investment in her future.
"I had just turned 23 and I was getting to an age where I realized that was not cute to not know things anymore," Russell tells TODAY.com. "I wanted to have more well-rounded, robust conversations and bring in things that I was learning and not be intimidated when I didn’t know what was going on in politics."
When she posted her first video about an article she found interesting, it went viral — with more than 1.7 million views.
After filming more than 20 videos about articles found in the pages of The New York Times, Russell expanded into other publications, from USA Today to the Dallas Observer. She typically details the publication's history before diving into the story.
She acknowledges that some people avoid the news because it can lead to feelings of anxiety or powerlessness, especially when it comes to distressing stories.
But Russell says reading directly from news sources instead of learning about events through social media has provided perspective.
"I noticed that with articles I would read on social media, I wasn’t getting the full picture of what was going on," Russell says. "Now that I read the newspaper, I almost get a sense of relief because what newspapers do in newsrooms is they bring in a bunch of experts.
"It helps me understand, 'OK, these are organizations I can directly work with, work alongside or donate to if I want to help,'" Russell continues. "It's not my job as a singular person to deal with every issue, and that's reinforced because a newspaper article kind of shows you all the people who are attacking the issue."
She hopes her videos inspire viewers to be more curious and think more critically about the information they encounter.
Connecting across generations
For Russell, reading the newspaper is a ritual that connects her to older generations — and says they feel the same. When Russell asked her dad for her first print subscription, his eyes lit up.
Russell says that reading the news can be a meaningful way for younger people to connect with their older family members or peers.
"While we might have not read the newspaper, I think almost all of us have a memory of somebody older than us reading the newspaper," Russell says. "It connects them to that person. And it gives young people the confidence to engage in conversation with older folks because they have the knowledge to. They want to go back to their grandparents and show them how they're reading the paper."
Russell says journalists need to make some changes too, particularly around the disconnect between news platforms and TikTok, which is becoming a news source for younger people.
"When you dismiss the space that they’re getting a lot of information from, it creates a barricade of (younger people) communicating to older folks. What I hope to do is show people that what you learned in school can be used on the internet, they don’t have to exist in two separate routes," Russell says.
Russell's tips for Gen Z getting into print media
Russell says it's best to find a publication that reports on topics you're already interested in.
"Stay in your comfort zone because, for our generation, reading the newspaper is already outside of our comfort zone," Russell says. "It’s already a step in a different direction. So I would just pick something that naturally piques your curiosity."
Since print subscriptions aren't cheap, Russell also recommends checking with your local community centers, libraries and schools in case they already have an active subscriptions. And if they don't, bring enough of your friends, and Russell says the library branch might be willing to start one.
What's next?
Russell's next project will be a podcast, which she plans to launch in early 2024. She plans to take on a facilitator role to start conversations about topics she thinks her audience won't know much about.
"I hope people could be more comfortable having conversations with folks that don’t think the same way they think and not leave as frustrated as we are right now." Russell says. "That’s what I hope for."
