The past decade has seen political polarisation – accelerated by social media’s filter bubbles and echo chambers – deepen and mutate. An ominous era of a polycrisis has shattered any remaining societal consensus. Meanwhile, powerful anti-establishment voices have stepped into the void.

Aware of hidden agendas, people no longer believe in the possibility of absolute truth or complete transparency from institutions, public figures, and individuals. Yet they are still drawn to honesty, integrity, and – at times – even vulnerability, which they expect from peers and brands alike.

The pandemic accelerated the transition from print to digital for many newspaper brands. While this evolution has its perks, what might be lost in the process? Canvas8 spoke to Shuhua Zhou and Damon Kiesow to find out how the power of communication within print can translate to digital.

Social justice demonstrations and a polemic 2020 election have left many people in the US examining what it means to be American, and specifically whether they’re proud of that identity. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Francesco Duina, sociology professor at Bates College, about patriotism in America today.

Stressed-out Americans want to stay informed without getting burnt out by the onslaught of the current 24-hour news cycle. Roca News helps them to do that by serving up just four bullet-pointed stories and one ‘deep dive’ to their million Instagram followers each day.

Youth culture is often linked with innovation and radical departures from past norms. But when it comes to the news, German Gen Zers are finding themselves drawn to ‘old’ media. So, how can broadcasters and newspapers build on their trusted status? And what do Zers expect from online news?