Journalism In The Age Of The Attention Economy: Reviewing Trends, Tools, And Ethical Challenges

Abstract

Journalism's creation, dissemination, and reception have all changed as a result of the attention economy, in which human attention is the limited resource.  In order to analyze (i) how platformization and algorithmic curation reroute audience attention; (ii) the newsroom tools used to capture and optimize attention; and (iii) the ensuing ethical, professional, and civic challenges (mis/disinformation, deepfakes, surveillance-driven targeting, and news avoidance), this review synthesizes recent evidence (2020–2025) from journalism studies, media economics, communication science, and human computer interaction.  We map empirically validated interventions (e.g., accuracy prompts, trust indicators) and incorporate cross-national variables on time utilization, platform news consumption, and trust.  In addition to a research agenda including metrics, governance, and audience well-being, the paper offers a framework for ethics-first, attention-aware journalism.