UK media twice as likely to portray young people negatively than positively, report finds

Exclusive: Under-25s ‘bombarded’ with media coverage portraying them as victims, lazy, weak and unpatriotic, analysis finds

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Coverage of young people in British media outlets is twice as likely to be negative than positive, and frequently portrays younger generations as lazy, weak, selfish and dangerous, a new report suggests.

Analysis of more than 150 articles about under-25s published by 10 national newspapers and five local outlets – commissioned by social justice charity Nacro – found that 28 per cent of coverage was negative, compared to just 14 per cent which framed young people in a positive light.

Warning that this “bombardment” of negativity is being internalised by young people, the charity conducted interviews and surveys with nearly 250 under-25s from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom expressed feelings of being hopeless, powerless and voiceless.

Nacro, which provides education, justice and other support services to tens of thousands of people, found that nearly a quarter of young people surveyed said they rarely or never feel good about themselves, while just one in five expected their generation to have a better life than the previous one.

Analysis of articles by 10 national newspapers and five local outlets found coverage of young people was twice as likely to be negative than positive (PA Archive)

In the articles analysed by the firm We Are Social, young people were most commonly portrayed as victims, whether it be due to their economic circumstances, governmental policy, or large technology firms.

With the proliferation of reporting on young people being economically inactive and demands for a better work-life balance, right-wing media coverage is often framed with connotations to laziness and unprofessionalism, with phrases such as “sick note generation”, We Are Social said.

Terms such as “snowflake generation” also seek to depict young people as weak, while the Tories election manifesto pledge of reintroducing a form of national service prompted a wave of articles painting young people as unpatriotic.

“Young people are bombarded with negative messages about themselves. They are seen as a problem to be fixed not humans with agency who can act as part of the solution,” said Elise Temple, the principal at Nacro Education. “This negativity has been internalised and they tell us they feel hopeless, powerless and voiceless.”

The charity’s survey found that:

• 27 per cent of young people said they usually or always feel lonely
• 24 per cent said they rarely or never feel good about themselves
• More than one in five have been a victim of crime, but just 35 per cent said they trusted the police
• One in five thought that their generation would have a better life than the previous one
• Nearly a third said they are often or always hopeful for the future
• Nearly three-quarters said they feel people who run the country never or rarely listen to them or people living a similar life to them, while 69 per cent said politicians never or rarely talk about issues that matter to them

All of the results were more pronounced for young women, who felt significantly worse about themselves, more lonely and more worried about crime in their area, the charity said.

More than half of those surveyed felt confident of securing a job or career they love (PA Wire)

But the charity also hailed “encouraging” findings that 57 per cent of those surveyed felt confident of securing a job or career that they love, compared with 15 per cent who did not. And 95 per cent said hard work and having an education (67 per cent) were more important to achieving career success at work than having money (62 per cent) and industry connections (54 per cent).

“The young people we surveyed are the most excluded in society, and the least likely to be heard by those in power. Their views and experiences reflect this,” said Ms Temple.

“But there is also hope in what they tell us. They are confident they will find a career they love, and they know hard work and education is key to getting there. But they desperately need our help to meet these ambitions, to amplify their voices, to improve their life chances.”

Lex, a student at Nacro Peterborough, said: “I worry about the future and whether I’ll be able to get a job and create a life for myself. It’s becoming harder and harder for young people to work, especially if you don’t have qualifications.

“Young people need to be given a boost so that they can afford a home, as without this the door is locked for most young people and they stand no chance of climbing the ladder and creating decent lives for themselves and their families.”

Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to get more people into work (Ben Whitley/PA)

Following its research, Nacro is urging Sir Keir Starmer’s government – which vowed in its manifesto to “break down barriers to opportunity” and is launching a major drive to bring more people into work – to invest in youth services to rebuild support for young people hollowed out during the austerity years.

Ms Temple added: Young people are the future of this country, they should play a vital role in shaping our nation’s ambitions and future.

“We see time and again how, against the odds, young people who have faced significant disadvantage can overcome the barriers especially when they have the right support in place. We need to ensure that young people receive the support and guidance they need to flourish and reach their full potential.”