A recent report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism sheds light on the evolving relationship between audiences and mobile news alerts. A staggering 79 percent of smartphone users don't receive any news alerts in a typical week. Of this group, a substantial 43 percent have proactively disabled them, citing excessive volume, irrelevance, or emotional exhaustion.
Authored by Nic Newman and released on June 17, the report details the challenges faced by news alerts despite their effectiveness in fostering user loyalty and app engagement. The increasing competition for attention on mobile devices and widespread notification fatigue are key factors. Publishers are actively responding by implementing strategies to control alert frequency and enhance relevance. The Times of London, for example, limits itself to four daily alerts, while the Financial Times offers personalized alerts based on reader preferences. BBC News, boasting high app adoption in the UK, sends up to 10 alerts daily, prioritizing national and international breaking news.
In contrast, certain outlets, including CNN Indonesia and several aggregator apps, might send up to 50 alerts a day. Despite this saturation, news alerts have witnessed growth since 2014, notably in the US and UK, where weekly usage rose from single-digit percentages to 23 and 18 percent, respectively. However, much of this growth predates 2017.
Across various markets, users expressed frustration with alerts perceived as excessive, irrelevant, or misleading. Some also disliked alerts requiring subscriptions to access full articles, particularly on platforms like Apple News. Emotional distress triggered by sensitive news topics also contributed to alert disablement. The fragmentation of alert sources is apparent in the United States, where weekly usage increased from 6 percent in 2014 to 23 percent in 2024. CNN, Fox News, and The New York Times are frequently cited, but aggregators such as Google News, Yahoo!, and Newsbreak also play significant roles. In the UK, BBC News takes the lead, followed by Sky News, Apple News, and Google News. CNN emerged as the most frequently cited individual source in the US, with 16 percent of respondents receiving at least one alert in the previous week. Google News and Fox News followed with 13 percent and 11 percent, respectively.
“Alerts are an easy way to keep up-to-date, as well as to widen perspectives beyond breaking news,” Newman wrote. “They are not valued, however, when they use oversensationalized headlines (clickbait) or when publishers send too many alerts that do not feel relevant.”
The report highlights that alerts primarily engage those with a high interest in news. Adoption is often linked to app downloads and permission enabling, with exceptions for pre-installed apps. While alerts aren't the primary news source—search and social media remain more prominent—they are valuable for deepening engagement among existing users. Publishers and mobile platforms are continuously adjusting their strategies. Apple and Google have introduced features using AI to group or summarize alerts. However, concerns remain that these changes might limit publishers' direct audience connections.
The report concludes that news organizations must refine their alert strategies to better align with user preferences, offering greater control over frequency and content. Personalized alerts, delivered at appropriate times and limited in volume, may be key to sustaining long-term engagement.