This five-part podcast series, hosted by Sean Rameswaram, debuts today — subscribe here.

At the end of April, a month into an unprecedented nationwide lockdown, 67% of people told us that they were concerned that society would be changed permanently. Heading into the last weeks of 2020, it’s apparent that the virus has indeed changed us. Covid-19 has put into question the very fundamentals of “normal” that we’d all come to unthinkingly accept, but despite the disruption, the pandemic has also created a rare opportunity to reflect on our lives and, potentially, to reset them. To better understand audiences’ new behaviors and shifting sentiments, explore this roundup of all the research our Insights & Innovation team shared this year. DIGITAL LIVES (AND HOW TO MAKE THEM BETTER) Breaking the Algorithm As much as we have advanced our digital lives to create algorithms to optimize engagement, time spent on site, and drive scale, we have yet to construct algorithms that challenge ourselves to be better to one another. Simplicity Leads to Malignancy Understanding complexity is crucial to all of us understanding each other, but the oversimplification of the information we consume online has led to a regression of empathy. Quality journalism can bridge the gap. THE FUTURE OF MEDIA Why Podcasting Is a Powerful Medium for Any Marketer The opportunity for marketers to reach audiences on audio. Podcasts deliver trusted and relevant content in a focused, rich, and powerful package, that audiences say they can’t get anywhere else. Why Supporting Local Journalism Is Good For Business Supporting local journalism is incredibly important in building incremental audiences and communities, making for a valuable environment for advertisers to target relevant consumers and drive action. POWERING PURPOSE  Why Equality Matters Gauging the public’s pulse on areas of inequality in America and how Vox Media’s readers and non-Vox Media readers define equality: what issues matter most, expectations of

Funding announced as part of Google News Initiative Innovation Challenge; builds on Vox Media’s DE&I roadmap

Weeks after a divisive and polarized presidential election, we are headed into a Georgia runoff that will determine which party controls the U.S Senate. The good news? We share more commonalities than you’d think. Vox Media sees responsible, quality journalism as crucial to narrowing the divide and bridging the gap between information and action.  Our Insights & Innovation team partnered with Dr. Naira Musallam, co-founder of SightX to better understand desire for societal change, by studying Vox Media’s  audience’s relationship with news, and examining how complexity will be crucial to all of us understanding each other Our findings indicate that the oversimplification of the information we consume online leads to a regression of understanding and empathy. Our thesis: simplicity leads to malignancy. We learned there is more commonality than what is often presented digitally. 69% believe we are more alike than different 58% feel empowered to be part of the change to improve society 54% believe they can change their community during this time 53% want to make personal changes to advance Black lives in this country But there is worry that the issues we face are too complex. While 76% of those surveyed are worried about the country, 48% feel that the issues we face are far too complex to solve—nearly half say they are not agreeing with friends and family over Covid-19 and/or the Black Lives Matter movement. 57% feel confused on what to believe because of differing stories of news on social media. Journalism is fundamental to personal decision-making, providing answers, and creating emotional stability. 64% need to know what’s happening in the news in order to make decisions. 58% find that the news is helping them get answers they can’t get anywhere else. 48% find the news to be more comforting during this time. Regression to

Vox Media’s CEO and Co-Founder speaks with Business Insider’s Alyson Shontell about industry trends, diversity, equity & inclusion, and planning for a post-pandemic future

Brands have a growing mandate from consumers to make society and the environment safer—to stand for something both in purpose and action. From social justice to climate justice, the expectation of brands is to make an impact by prioritizing progress for all above – or at least alongside – profit. As VoxMediaIQ – Vox Media’s social impact practice – looks to close the gap between purpose and impact, Vox Media believes there’s an opportunity for brands and media to do more of that together. As part of this work VoxMediaIQ undertook a study—Why Equality Matters. The objectives were to make the concept of equality more tangible for brands, understand what aspects of equality consumers are rallying around, how that impacts their spending habits, and why it should matter to marketers. This study is part of Vox Media’s ongoing research on shifting social consciousness in these unprecedented times. In conducting this research, we found universal support among Vox Media’s audience for the Black Lives Matter movement and that the majority of our audience felt motivated to take some kind of action in support. Learn more about audiences’ perspective on the Black Lives Matter movement here. Topline learnings: The Vox Media audience seeks brands and editorial that align with their values—brands that take action and editorial that informs how to take action. Echoing the core values of VoxMediaIQ, our audience wants to participate in change. They strive to embody a new sense of conscious consumerism. Across our 13 editorial networks, Vox Media readers defined equality as equal access to resources/opportunities (47%) regardless of their personal circumstances (53%), demonstrating a belief that we do not have equality until we have equity. 80% of the Vox Media audience believe brands can have an impact on social issues and expect them to step up, even

The eight-part interview podcast series debuts today and runs through Inauguration Day––subscribe here.

Full season now streaming: The series explores some of the most satisfying culinary destinations around the world including the Pacific Northwest, Casablanca, Tijuana and Costa Rica

The new podcast, a relaunch of Kara Swisher’s award-winning interview show, Recode Decode, debuts today.

Adweek Names the Vox Media Podcast Network “Podcast Network of the Year” and Recode’s Land of the Giants: The Netflix Effect “TV and Streaming Podcast of the Year;” Vox’s series “Explained” takes “Hottest Medium Expansion” in Adweek’s 2020 Hot List

Eater city-editors will partner directly with locally beloved wine experts, offering subscribers unparalleled access to a diverse set of industry insiders across the country

In collaboration with the nonpartisan voting organization I Am a Voter., New York Magazine’s October 26 cover will feature contributions from artists including Shepard Fairey, Amy Sherald, KAWS, and more.

In part I, we discussed how macro-level disruptions have created a climate of uncertainty and enabled misinformation to proliferate. We’ve replaced trust in institutions with trust in ourselves and our families. Ultimately this is to our detriment. In part II we’ll examine journalism’s role in overcoming these obstacles and the actions marketers can take. WHY CONTRACTION OF TRUST IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE NEED The phenomenon of contraction back to self is not new — social platforms have celebrated a narrative of individualism. However, the problems we face as a society such as COVID 19, racial injustice and climate change are too big to tackle individually or at the household level. A FRAMEWORK FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION… SORT OF In general, we know the problems we face will take collective action. BUT WITH SPECIFICITY, CONSENSUS BREAKS DOWN However, this framework breaks down when we ask about specific issues. Specificity creates complexity, disagreement, and splintering.  Even seemingly straightforward elements of problem solving, like agreeing on the nature of the problem, become points of contention. And so we reach the heart of the issue: What can help us create a framework of understanding for key issues so we can take the collective action required to solve them? THE IMPORTANCE OF JOURNALISM: A HUNGER FOR CREDIBLE CONTEXT Reliable information expressed through journalism is key — people are hungry for both local and national news to help them navigate disruption and take informed action. JOURNALISM MUST PUSH US BACK UP TO CONSENSUS There is a real opportunity for responsible journalism to create the consensus necessary to fix “big” societal problems. During this critical period, we must support journalism that: Tells stories to crystallize our “new” reality of disruption Combats the pandemic of misinformation Provides a safe haven for experts and local voices Encourages a

In this two-part series, we will dissect the conditions that have enabled misinformation to proliferate, discuss how to overcome the obstacles to consensus, and chart a way forward. Quality journalism is under attack from all sides, but never has it been more essential. During times of upheaval, credible reporting at the local and national levels play a vital role in society’s ability to take collective action. But what happens when misinformation becomes so prevalent that we are unable to recognize when the truth is actually true? 76% of us believe we have seen news that contradicts what we believe to be true.  Tellingly, we’re exposed to misinformation on the platforms we spend the most time with such as social networks, and from sources we should trust most, like the President or News organizations. HOW MISINFORMATION LEADS TO CONTRACTION During a time where trust is essential to global health and the national economy,  the expansive stream of misinformation narrows and localizes it. With trust eroding, so goes our expectations and faith in larger society to do the right thing.  As a result, we start placing the bulk of our trust only in ourselves and our families. In moments of crisis such as the coronavirus pandemic trust beyond the individual level becomes imperative to solving the collective problem—this requires trustworthy journalism at a local and national scale. WHY CONTRACTION OF TRUST IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE NEED The phenomenon of contraction back to self is not new.  If you think about the past two decades, social platforms have celebrated a narrative of individualism. However, the problems we face as a society are too big to tackle individually or at the household level. In part II we’ll examine the point in which consensus begins to break down and chart a path forward.

The special five-part podcast series, hosted by Sean Rameswaram, debuts today — subscribe here.

Spradley leads the country’s largest sports network with eyes on growth.

In an interview with The Information’s Jessica Toonkel, Bankoff describes leading through this moment, how Vox Media is working with advertisers, and accelerated efforts across programmatic, podcasting and consumer revenue

Fully integrated campaign from Vox Media’s brand studio includes a shoppable, look inside the tiny-home via a 360 tour experience and an Explainer video detailing the sustainable features of the IKEA home with tips for how to incorporate green practices into everyday life

From the team that brought you Little America, season one offers a compelling exploration into the dotcom bubble of 2000, hosted by Julia Furlan

In 2019, Eater exclusively launched its expansive video library on Roku — today the network expands its offering to audiences across Apple TV, Fire TV, and Android TV

The user-friendly tool will allow brands of all sizes to build custom Athena ad units to run across a collection of trusted media brands within the Concert and Concert Local marketplaces

Jim Bankoff, Amanda Kludt, Dylan Matthews Kara Swisher, Scott Galloway, and more join the virtual stage

Narrators Leonardo DiCaprio, Selena Gomez, and John Legend explore America’s electoral system in the latest installment of Vox’s “Explained” franchise, premiering today on Netflix