In the not-too-distant past, news was shared principally through two means: local and network TV broadcasts and printed newspapers. Information was meted out once or twice daily, and it was a staple our parents often gorged on.

But in this new age, information flows around the clock – on our televisions, on what’s left of radio, on our computers, on our phones, in a stream of social-media links. We nibble on the overabundance like a fast-food snack, but little of what’s being said actually serves as nourishment.

Danny Rubin is on a mission to add flavor to the mix by helping so-called millennials – those born from the early 1980s to the early 2000s – and anyone else “who is just trying to get by” glean more meaning from the news.

The Virginia Beach native is the author of News to Live By, a blog that finds buried lessons in the top stories of the day, good or bad.

At age 29, Rubin is part of the generation that has come of age during the digital revolution, yet he straddles the line between the old ways and new.

His father is Joel Rubin, a former longtime reporter at WAVY-TV who later established Rubin Communications Group. Danny followed in his father’s footsteps and worked for a stint at WTKR, then moved in 2009 to Washington, D.C., where he held a position with a media research firm.

Part of his job involved finding out what younger people would pay attention to.

He started a blog about careers, but he wanted a more creative outlet. Turning back to his roots, Rubin decided that combining news with advice would be a more effective tool.

News to Live By debuted last year and is steadily gaining exposure. Rubin’s columns often are featured online in The Huffington Post, Parade magazine’s website, BuzzFeed and AOL.

Last week, Rubin took on the hot-button story of the day, the Affordable Care Act.

But he did so with a twist, thus turning a story about Obamacare into one that helped readers determine whether they are detail-oriented, a great trait to have in the competitive workforce. He used the botched rollout of the government’s heath-care website as a reminder to “check, check and recheck our work before pushing it live.”

Rubin purposely inserted 10 errors into the story and challenged readers to find them. The approach simultaneously informed and sharpened his audience.

And that is how he intends to be part of an evolution of news consumption.

I’m intrigued. I am a Generation X’er who grew up in a household that had a daily newspaper subscription even when food was scarce. I’m not bored with traditional media, nor am I daunted by the new platforms. I rely on both.

My children might not make that same claim.

And that’s a big part of the reason I’m attracted to Rubin’s approach. It’s informative, educational and entertaining. Just check out his entries such as “12 Absurd Kanye West Quotes That Will Actually Boost Your Career” and “If Every Member of Congress Were a ’90s TV Character.”

Rubin develops his blog outside of his day job as an account executive at Rubin Communications, which he joined this year. He does it between career seminars and other writing projects, which include his recently released free e-book, “25 Things Every Young Professional Should Know by Age 25.”

It’s all an application of the basics of traditional journalism that were instilled in him early on – “finding the root, the inherent truth,” Rubin said.

But he expects that the language and the tone of the message will change as the number of millennials grows in newsrooms and they aim to draw in their own generation.

“Young people can be engaged,” Rubin said. “They will listen; they will pay attention.”

But, as Rubin has learned, it has to matter.

Jamesetta M. Walker, 757-446-2211, jamesetta.walker@pilotonline.com