When Lisbon experienced a 10-hour electricity blackout just over two weeks ago, rumours and conspiracy theories quickly filled the vacuum of official information. Wild speculation about the origin of the disruption spread through the streets. It was a timely reminder of how much we need reliable journalism. It also revealed a generational divide. Older people were the ones listening to their radios to hear updates from trusted voices. 
 
Getting more young people to engage with reliable news sources is a challenge that many countries are grappling with and Portugal might have an idea worth replicating. A new government programme offers teenagers aged between 15 and 18 a free two-year digital subscription to a range of vetted media outlets. Through a government portal, they can access respected newspapers and magazines, such as national daily Público, weekly Expresso and digital newcomers such as Observador, as well as financial and business titles. The goal is to combat disinformation with media and digital literacy, and while it is a considerable public investment – an estimated €5.9m – it’s a bargain when stacked against the social and democratic costs of fake news.

The media industry puts vast amounts of effort and money into attracting younger audiences. Across the globe, we’re seeing fresh formats, with more audio, video and newsletter content to keep up with the changing times. All of that is welcome. But while it’s crucial that media organisations evolve to meet the moment, it’s also imperative that we can convey how journalism differs from social-media opinion. When I was growing up, we always had newspapers in the house and I had people around me who pointed me towards not only credible sources but to writers who made me think more deeply. That’s not the case for many young people in Portugal today, so any effort to encourage this is to be welcomed.

Governments can and should play a role in fighting misinformation and initiatives that lift financial barriers to trustworthy sources are a good start. But perhaps more of us need to embrace the influencer within: we should show young adults the benefits of critical thinking and how longer, well-researched and deeply reported reads can be more rewarding. In Finland, information literacy is taught in kindergartens. Here in Portugal, Público recently launched an online resource for students and teachers with news written in more accessible language for classroom discussion. But good journalism cannot become homework. Suggest a subscription. Share an article. Recommend a columnist. Crucially, take the time to discuss ideas. A strong media landscape is essential to countering misinformation but it’s nothing without critical thinking.

Gaia Lutz is Monocle’s Lisbon correspondent. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.

In 2014, when I worked for Slovenian daily newspaper Delo in Ljubljana, we often hosted children and school groups on the editorial floor. During their visits, we would conduct a Q&A and I liked to ask whether the children’s parents were subscribers of any newspaper. Only a few hands would ever shoot up. This was a sign of a worrying trend. A 2024 Reuters Institute study with Oxford University put the proportion of people who pay for news online in France at 11 per cent and in the UK at 8 per cent. What example are we setting our children by abandoning traditional sources of information? And are we on the brink of losing a generation of discerning, intelligent current-affairs readers?

We live in an increasingly fragmented and polarised world where many are shunning the news. The line between information and entertainment is becoming blurred, while the information systems vying for our attention are growing in sophistication. But old-fashioned media, for all its failings, still offers hope. Standing there on the editorial floor, I realised what had to be done if we wanted diligent, professional journalism to survive. Starting with trust and solution-driven storytelling, we had to teach children media literacy. Not all stories are equal. Instead, it is all about creating a balanced media diet.

So, in 2015, I set up Casoris with a team of fellow journalists and editors. Buried within each story in my children’s news company is the idea that trustworthy journalism has value and a role to play in democracy that can connect people, communities and society. This is especially important given the media landscape that young people have to navigate today. Amid all the news junk food, we wanted to offer some nutrition – more a refreshing smoothie than online broccoli.

Aimed at children between the ages of six and 15, Casoris caters to those who wouldn’t necessarily read the news on their own. An advantage for us (but also the difficult thing about social media) is that children are rather trusting souls, less cynical than you or I. If an adult who they respect – a teacher, say, or a parent – tells them that it’s important to read and engage with ideas, they will listen and often end up enjoying it. It’s my hope that if we work together to instil this habit early enough, the process of scrutinising what they are presented with and seeking credible information will be second nature for them by the time they are young adults.

Every morning starts with a current-affairs story. We publish a short article (no longer than 300 words), accompanied by a glossary and some points for consideration delivered in a child-friendly but not patronising tone. Though we write about difficult topics, our articles try to be solution-oriented to avoid the doom and gloom so often present in the news (grown-up media companies – take note). 

We also aim to spark hope, reinforcing the idea that life is beautiful, and to prevent news avoidance and crisis fatigue by offering a range of stories. One week we covered a bomb scare in schools, a disinformation campaign, the importance of writing by hand and skills that you can develop by building with Lego.

In the afternoon, we publish articles written by children to give them a voice. They deserve to be heard and this is part of creating a dialogue. Our research shows that they also prefer reading news written by their peers. By engaging with young readers directly through our mentorship programme, Casoris is more than just a news outlet for children. It’s a platform helping the next generation of informed citizens to read, think, write and share their thoughts – all without the risks associated with the scarier, anonymous and unpoliced world of social media.

In the end, the news media might be divided, dissolute and have a bad reputation to shake off but I truly believe that it remains important in a world where positivity seems in fatally short supply. Think about it: as recently as 2020, the coronavirus pandemic taught us that people can still discern between cat memes, conspiracy theories and clear, impartial news. 

Of course, some parents might feel that they can get all the information that they need online for free. Perhaps they have even told their children so. But I’ll remind you of a handy adage: there’s no such thing as a free lunch.