Social media has now edged ahead of television as the main way Americans access news, marking a turning point noted in the 2025 Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. Based on responses from nearly 100,000 people across 48 countries, the report shows how digital habits are continuing to reshape how people keep up with current events.
In the U.S., more than half of adults (54%) now say they get news from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, more than those who still rely on TV (50%) or traditional news websites and apps (48%). But this shift isn’t just about numbers; it points to deeper changes in trust, convenience, and generational habits around news.
Much of this growth is driven by creators who appeal to younger men, politically conservative users, and those skeptical of mainstream media. These are audiences that traditional news organizations have long struggled to reach. While the trend is happening in many places, it's moving fastest in the U.S., where social media plays an especially large role in shaping public discourse.
Video has also become a dominant format. Younger users, particularly 18 to 24-year-olds, increasingly prefer watching or listening to news over reading it. In the U.S., weekly news video consumption rose sharply, from 55% in 2021 to 72% in 2025. Social video platforms favor casual, personality-driven content, making it harder for traditional outlets to compete unless they adapt to new formats and tones.
Meanwhile, digital subscriptions — once seen as a promising path forward for journalism — may be hitting a plateau. Across the 20 strongest media markets, only 18% of people said they paid for online news in the past year. The U.S. slightly exceeds that average at 20%, but growth appears to have slowed. A few big names, like The New York Times, continue to attract subscribers by offering not just news, but also games, recipes, and other content.
Efforts to replicate that success with subscription bundles haven’t gained much traction. Most Americans who don’t currently pay for news (71%) say they aren’t interested in packages that combine different outlets or mix news with entertainment and lifestyle features.
At the same time, news access continues to spread across more platforms. Six now reach more than 10% of U.S. adults weekly for news: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok. X still draws a news-seeking audience, but it's become more ideologically right-leaning under Elon Musk’s ownership. TikTok, on the other hand, is growing fastest, especially in places like Thailand, and now reaches about 12% of U.S. adults for news.
Misinformation remains a concern, particularly among younger, lower-income, and less-educated users. These groups are less likely to check facts through trusted sources and more likely to rely on peer comments or AI tools to gauge credibility. Fact-checking organizations still play a vital role, especially during major news events, but their reach is limited day-to-day.
Mobile news alerts, once seen as a way to keep readers engaged, aren’t having the impact many publishers hoped. Only 9% of people cite notifications as their main source of news, and nearly four out of five (79%) say they don’t receive any at all. However, there are exceptions, in countries like Kenya and India, push alerts are much more widely used.
Views on AI-generated news also vary by region. In countries like India and Thailand, people are generally more open to it. In parts of Europe and North America, though, skepticism runs deep. India already has partially AI-run news channels, while in the U.S., tools like Newsbreak are testing AI-driven personalization, sometimes with mixed results and concerns over accuracy.
Smartphones have become the go-to source of news in the morning, especially for younger audiences. Nearly 40% of Americans, and 57% of those under 35, say they start their day by checking news on their phones. The same trend holds in places like the U.K., Denmark, and South Africa.
Podcasts also continue to grow. In the U.S., about 15% of adults now listen to news podcasts weekly, putting them on par with print and radio. American listeners often prefer personality-led shows, while audiences in other countries tend to favor more analytical formats from legacy media. YouTube is now the top podcast platform in the U.S., reflecting the rise of video versions of audio content.
Despite the ongoing efforts to improve access and engagement, news consumption remains highly fragmented. People’s habits are shaped by their devices, economic situations, and the platforms they use. As the media landscape keeps shifting, publishers face continued challenges around trust, attention, and long-term financial stability.
Read next: Meta Faces Backlash Over Mysterious Instagram Bans and Facebook Selfie Checks
In the U.S., more than half of adults (54%) now say they get news from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, more than those who still rely on TV (50%) or traditional news websites and apps (48%). But this shift isn’t just about numbers; it points to deeper changes in trust, convenience, and generational habits around news.
Much of this growth is driven by creators who appeal to younger men, politically conservative users, and those skeptical of mainstream media. These are audiences that traditional news organizations have long struggled to reach. While the trend is happening in many places, it's moving fastest in the U.S., where social media plays an especially large role in shaping public discourse.
Video has also become a dominant format. Younger users, particularly 18 to 24-year-olds, increasingly prefer watching or listening to news over reading it. In the U.S., weekly news video consumption rose sharply, from 55% in 2021 to 72% in 2025. Social video platforms favor casual, personality-driven content, making it harder for traditional outlets to compete unless they adapt to new formats and tones.
Meanwhile, digital subscriptions — once seen as a promising path forward for journalism — may be hitting a plateau. Across the 20 strongest media markets, only 18% of people said they paid for online news in the past year. The U.S. slightly exceeds that average at 20%, but growth appears to have slowed. A few big names, like The New York Times, continue to attract subscribers by offering not just news, but also games, recipes, and other content.
Efforts to replicate that success with subscription bundles haven’t gained much traction. Most Americans who don’t currently pay for news (71%) say they aren’t interested in packages that combine different outlets or mix news with entertainment and lifestyle features.
At the same time, news access continues to spread across more platforms. Six now reach more than 10% of U.S. adults weekly for news: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok. X still draws a news-seeking audience, but it's become more ideologically right-leaning under Elon Musk’s ownership. TikTok, on the other hand, is growing fastest, especially in places like Thailand, and now reaches about 12% of U.S. adults for news.
Misinformation remains a concern, particularly among younger, lower-income, and less-educated users. These groups are less likely to check facts through trusted sources and more likely to rely on peer comments or AI tools to gauge credibility. Fact-checking organizations still play a vital role, especially during major news events, but their reach is limited day-to-day.
Mobile news alerts, once seen as a way to keep readers engaged, aren’t having the impact many publishers hoped. Only 9% of people cite notifications as their main source of news, and nearly four out of five (79%) say they don’t receive any at all. However, there are exceptions, in countries like Kenya and India, push alerts are much more widely used.
Views on AI-generated news also vary by region. In countries like India and Thailand, people are generally more open to it. In parts of Europe and North America, though, skepticism runs deep. India already has partially AI-run news channels, while in the U.S., tools like Newsbreak are testing AI-driven personalization, sometimes with mixed results and concerns over accuracy.
Smartphones have become the go-to source of news in the morning, especially for younger audiences. Nearly 40% of Americans, and 57% of those under 35, say they start their day by checking news on their phones. The same trend holds in places like the U.K., Denmark, and South Africa.
Podcasts also continue to grow. In the U.S., about 15% of adults now listen to news podcasts weekly, putting them on par with print and radio. American listeners often prefer personality-led shows, while audiences in other countries tend to favor more analytical formats from legacy media. YouTube is now the top podcast platform in the U.S., reflecting the rise of video versions of audio content.
Despite the ongoing efforts to improve access and engagement, news consumption remains highly fragmented. People’s habits are shaped by their devices, economic situations, and the platforms they use. As the media landscape keeps shifting, publishers face continued challenges around trust, attention, and long-term financial stability.
Read next: Meta Faces Backlash Over Mysterious Instagram Bans and Facebook Selfie Checks
