Media is changing — and everyone knows it.
Things aren’t advertised, people are sick of being online, and super-fragmentation is making it hard to know where to put focus - plus it seems like no one is paying attention anyway.
Add to that the fatigue of constant bad (or fake) news, and the growing number of social accounts being deleted or restricted without warning — and it’s no surprise people are starting to look elsewhere. Not just for alternatives, but for backups.
So, where are people going?
I’m noticing three clear shifts: toward IRL (in real life) / place-based experiences, toward ethical and owned platforms, and toward more under-the-radar, niche-interest forms of communication.
First — a return to real life.
Over the past few years, people have been craving experiences that reconnect them with themselves and with others. We’re seeing it in the rise of run clubs and local initiatives. Even the way we move is changing — more walking, more cycling, more engagement with our immediate surroundings. We want to do interesting things, offline, and be closer to the people around us. After years of digital saturation (and isolation), the pendulum has swung back. People want to get out of their bubbles. They want culture, connection, and something tangible.
This desire for culture and community is driving a resurgence in place-based, real-world activity. From in-person dating communities to hyper-local events, the appetite to connect offline is unmistakable. Paul McCartney’s latest album even launched with a place-based announcement. IRL is no longer a novelty — it’s becoming the default again.
Second — a shift toward ownership and ethics.
As concerns around privacy and platform governance grow, both individuals and marketers (and governments!) are rethinking their reliance on major platforms (France moving from Microsoft to Linux!). There’s increasing resistance to invasive tracking, and a growing awareness that we can choose other options or reduce our time online altogether. Losing access to accounts — and with them, connections or audiences — has been a wake-up call. Gone are the days where we relied on social platforms to manage our data or contacts.
As a result, people are moving toward more ethical platforms and channels they have more control over. That might look like exploring alternatives, but it also looks like investing in owned channels — especially email. Email remains one of the most direct, resilient, and high-converting ways to reach people. No algorithm, no middleman. Some other platform trends I’ve noticed include moving to Bluesky as an alternative to X (Twitter) and choosing LinkedIn over Meta.
Third — a move toward interests and intentionality.
People are becoming more selective about how they spend their time and energy. We’re going to therapy, getting to know ourselves better, and what we’re actually into. This means we know how we want to spend our time and we’re no longer willing to waste it on things we’re not into or that are bad for our health. That means fewer generic experiences, and more interest-driven ones.
Communication is following the same pattern with under-the-radar channels such as WhatsApp group messaging. This is nothing new, communities have been organising themselves like this forever, but with a renewed sense of intentionality, I believe this is increasing. Smaller, more private networks — group chats, invite-only communities, word-of-mouth — are playing a bigger role.
All together, these shifts point to broader change.
The desire for culture, ethics and wellbeing are transforming us. Media is moving toward IRL / place-based models, ethical and owned platforms, and hyper-niche, interest-based channels.
Culture → community
Ethics → ownership
Wellbeing → niche interests
So, what does this mean for your brand or business?
📌 This was Issue 33 of The Forward — our regular communication for conscious-minded business leaders.
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