in a world where bite-sized content dominates the digital landscape, longform journalism is quietly staging a comeback in 2025. for years, many believed the traditional, in-depth article was on the verge of extinction. newsrooms trimmed word counts to accommodate dwindling attention spans, social media platforms prioritized rapid-fire headlines, and “tl;dr” became the default response to anything over 500 words. but as the digital ecosystem matures—and as readers show renewed appetite for nuanced reporting—the tide appears to be turning.
so why is longform journalism thriving in this era of hot takes and 10-second video clips? a complex web of factors is propelling this renaissance, and at the center of it all is a story about trust, technology, and a renewed hunger for context.
readers are craving depth over brevity
today’s audience is more media-savvy than ever before. after a decade of clickbait, algorithm-driven “news,” and misinformation, readers are showing signs of fatigue. surveys conducted in late 2024 by the pew research center revealed that nearly 68% of americans felt “overwhelmed” by the sheer volume of daily news alerts, with 59% saying they’re unsure which sources they can truly trust. as a result, a rising number have expressed a desire for deeper dives into the stories that matter—coverage that doesn’t just skim the surface, but digs into background, context, and nuance.
this is where longform journalism excels. in-depth feature stories, investigative pieces, and comprehensive profiles not only provide more information, but also foster a stronger connection between writer and reader. a 2025 analysis from the digital content research group reports that while only 17% of readers regularly finish short news articles, nearly 45% complete longform pieces when they’re written well and presented cleanly.
publishers double down on quality storytelling
news organizations are taking notice. some of the country’s most respected outlets, from the new york times and the atlantic to buzzfeed news and vox, have pivoted toward longform content. the times, for instance, has expanded its “the sunday read” feature, curating one deep-dive article each week, which consistently drives high engagement on both its website and podcast. meanwhile, new players like the dispatch and the 19th* have built their reputations largely on thorough, magazine-style reporting.
in a 2025 interview, madi ellis, features editor at the south florida sun sentinel, remarked: “our analytics show that when we invest in a 3,000-word story with depth, context, and compelling visuals, subscribers spend twice as long on the page and are more likely to share the piece. it’s about reconnecting people to journalism—reminding them why it matters.”
subscription models boost longform’s prospects
one significant shift driving the longform resurgence is the rise of subscription-based news models. as advertising revenue heads toward social media and search engines, publishers are doubling down on paywalled, quality content that sets them apart from quick news aggregators. by focusing on exclusive, in-depth stories, they add value for subscribers, who are willing to pay for work they can’t find elsewhere.
platforms like substack and medium have further democratized this approach. thousands of independent journalists now publish essays and investigations directly to subscribers, bypassing traditional gatekeepers. substack revealed that, in 2024, over 20% of its most-read posts were longer than 2,000 words, a dramatic reversal from the platform’s early days. readers aren’t just tolerating lengthy writing—they’re financially supporting it.
audio and multimedia breathe new life into longform
longform storytelling doesn’t just mean walls of text—it’s also thriving in audio and multimedia. narrative-driven podcasts like “this american life” and “serial” have built massive audiences with episodes that dissect issues in hour-long depth, and their success has inspired digital outlets to adapt long articles into engaging audio reads. platforms such as audible and apple news+ allow listeners to consume long features while commuting, exercising, or relaxing, expanding the ways longform content can reach busy audiences.
visual innovation is part of the formula, too. interactive features, immersive graphics, and documentary-style videos help to break up the text and deepen engagement. outlets like the washington post and bloomberg regularly pair longform stories with infographics, timelines, and annotated documents, helping readers understand complex subjects in an accessible way.
social media is becoming a longform ally
contrary to its reputation for fostering brevity, social media is playing a role in the longform revival. twitter’s shift to an expanded character limit and the emergence of “threads” have encouraged writers to share entire essays or serialized investigations directly on the platform. instagram’s “notes” and new “story-longform” features allow longer posts, and tiktok now hosts multi-part video documentaries that draw millions of views.
journalists strategically use social platforms not just to tease their work, but to drive loyal audiences toward full-length stories. some even develop online communities around specific beats—environment, politics, health—where discussion flourishes beyond what a headline can offer.
the rise of ai and fact-checking tools
as artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, it’s being deployed to tackle the very problems that once threatened longform writing, like plagiarism, misinformation, and lack of source transparency. ai-powered fact-checking helps newsrooms vet long investigative pieces quickly, boosting reader confidence. some news organizations now use ai-generated summaries as introductions, making thorough articles more approachable without requiring audiences to wade through jargon or irrelevant detail.
critical challenges remain
the comeback of longform is exciting, but it’s not without challenges. the cost and time required to produce quality longform writing remains high, and small publishers in particular can struggle against the economics. not every story justifies thousands of words, and attention spans are still a finite resource.
however, as more audiences reward outlets with their subscriptions, shares, and trust, it’s clear that in-depth journalism is not only surviving—it’s thriving. the longform resurgence in 2025 proves that when given the chance, readers are eager to slow down and seek the stories that truly matter. perhaps the only thing more surprising than the return of lengthy journalism is how hungry we all still are for it.