Global media problems for the future
These global problems are among the cornerstones of the vision we have for Omnai. We're not just building a company; we're igniting a movement for change in a world overwhelmed by information.
It’s no secret that we, the founders of Omnai, have each stepped back from the traditional news stream due to its overwhelming, biased, and manipulative nature. We're not alone in this.
Many people are increasingly disconnecting from mainstream media. The realization is growing that most mainstream media organizations, once pillars of truth and fairness, are now struggling with the challenges of bias and profit-driven motives. This shift has led to a significant decline in public trust, as people find it difficult to find quality information in a sea of sensationalism.
According to Reuters, the amount of people practicing selective news avoidance is at an all-time high in 22 & 23, at 36-38% across markets.1
The “Fast-food News Diet” and Global Mental Health Crisis
The global mental health discourse is louder than ever and often centers around symptoms like stress and anxiety but overlooks potential root causes.
One overlooked factor is our daily 'fast-food information diet,' which we believe can be as harmful to our minds as junk food is to our bodies.
At its best, this trend is unsustainable, straining our mental well-being. At its worst, it's a crisis in waiting, threatening the collective mental health of our society.
Either way, it does not promote a world we want to raise our kids in, so we intend to build an alternative.
Global Media Problems in a Digital World
Our digital world has amplified critical issues in media: Declining trust, information overload, profit-driven content distribution, and the need for adaptive formats that resonate with today’s diverse audience:
Declining trust in media: Public trust is rapidly declining almost everywhere in the world, making it hard for individuals to assess the quality and bias of information. We imagine a technology that analyzes content for factual accuracy and bias, aiding in informed consumption.
Information overload: The ad-revenue model is not scaling well with an infinitely more connected and digital world, resulting in an unsustainable information overload. We advocate for a new model that prioritizes and rewards high-quality content over quantity.
Information distribution is optimized for more: Current information distribution is geared towards maximum consumption (to increase ad revenue). It’s overwhelming and unnecessary. We believe in personalized information control, empowering users to tailor their information diet. For example, deciding not to have any snacks in your home makes it easier not to eat—or think about them—and not being exposed to junk news makes it easier not to consume it.
One-size-fits-all information doesn’t cut it in 2024: Younger generations have abandoned the traditional news format and are extremely dependent on the quality of peer-to-peer information sharing on Social Media platforms like TikTok. Quality information must adapt to these new mediums as they shift towards concise, fast-paced information formats.
These global problems are among the cornerstones of our vision for Omnai. We're not just building a company; we're igniting a movement for change in a world overwhelmed by information. We aim to ensure that news and current information enrich lives by fostering true connection and a sense of belonging—no matter where or who you are.
Discover much more about Omnai and our team on our newly launched site, and sign up for our beta if you’re a foreigner in a country you deeply desire to connect more with.
Talk soon 👋
Freddy, your friendly neighborhood CEO of Omnai.
https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2023/dnr-executive-summar