Social media platforms and video networks have officially overtaken traditional television channels and news websites to become the primary source of news in the United States. This significant shift, highlighted by recent research, underscores the rapidly evolving landscape of news consumption.
According to the latest annual report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, over half of Americans (54%) now get their news from social networks like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. This compares to 50% who rely on television for news and 48% who use news websites and apps. While the move towards social and video news is a global trend, the report notes that these changes appear to be happening faster and with greater impact within the US than in many other countries.
The Rise of Personality-Driven News
A major factor in this shift is the growing influence of online personalities and creators. Individuals like podcasters, YouTubers, and TikTokers are increasingly serving as news disseminators, particularly appealing to younger demographics, right-leaning audiences, and those with low trust in traditional media.
The report identified podcaster Joe Rogan as a prominent example, with approximately 22% of the US population reporting encountering news or commentary from him in a recent week. Other notable online commentators discussing politics included Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, Ben Shapiro, Brian Tyler Cohen, and David Pakman, with the most followed often being men. The rise of these figures presents a substantial challenge for traditional publishers, who struggle to adapt their content for the unique environments of social video and personality-driven content.
Politicians Bypassing Traditional Media
Hand-in-hand with the rise of online personalities is a trend where politicians, especially populist leaders globally, are increasingly bypassing traditional journalistic scrutiny. Figures like Donald Trump and Argentina’s Javier Milei are choosing to engage directly with sympathetic online hosts and influencers. These platforms often provide special access but are perceived as less likely to ask challenging questions, and many involved have been linked to spreading false narratives.
Concerns Over Misinformation
Despite their popularity, online influencers and personalities are also viewed with considerable skepticism regarding the accuracy of their information. Almost half (47%) of people worldwide identified them as a major source of false or misleading information, placing them on par with politicians in this regard. In the United States specifically, politicians were cited as the primary source of such information. Worryingly, over 70% of Americans express concern about their ability to distinguish between true and false information online, a figure significantly higher than the global average of 58%.
Platform-Specific Trends
The report also delved into the usage of specific platforms for news:
X (formerly Twitter): News usage on X is stable or increasing across many markets, with the biggest growth seen in the US. Following Elon Musk’s takeover in 2022, the platform has undergone an ideological shift. The proportion of US users who identify as right-leaning tripled, while right-wing audiences in the UK almost doubled. Conversely, some progressive users have reportedly left or reduced their activity.
TikTok: TikTok continues its rapid growth as a news source, now used by 17% globally, a four-percentage-point increase in one year.
Facebook & YouTube: Facebook remains the largest platform for news delivery globally, reaching 36%, followed closely by YouTube at 30%.
Rivals: Rival networks like Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon have minimal global reach for news, reported at 2% or less.
Emerging Trends: AI and Avoidance
Beyond social platforms, the study highlighted other notable trends:
AI Chatbots: Usage of AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini for accessing news is on the rise, particularly among younger demographics (12% of under-35s use them for news weekly, compared to 7% overall). However, public perception of AI in news is largely negative, with concerns about transparency, accuracy, and trustworthiness. This trend also poses a potential risk to traditional news outlets’ traffic as users might get information without visiting the original source.
News Avoidance: A concerning trend is the increase in news avoidance. Four out of ten people globally reported sometimes or often avoiding the news, up from 29% in 2017, often citing feeling overwhelmed by negative news.
While the news landscape is clearly fragmenting and shifting towards new platforms and personalities, the report also noted that people across all generations still value and prize trusted news brands with a proven track record for accuracy, even if their direct usage frequency has declined.
This comprehensive study is based on surveys of nearly 100,000 people across 48 countries, providing a detailed look at the evolving ways people around the world, especially in the US, consume news.
