Digital News Dominance
Reuters Report Reveals Social Media, Video Now Top Global News Sources, Outpacing TV
Key Points
The report finds online news video consumption is widespread: 77% of respondents consume online news video weekly, and in 45 of the 48 markets studied, more people now watch online news video than broadcast television news.
Publishers’ own digital video appears to be losing ground: the report says video usage declined by five percentage points during the year on publishers’ own websites/apps, while growth is driven largely by platform-based consumption.
Creator and influencer involvement is quantified: 27% of respondents receive news from news-focused creators, and 46% get at least some news from creators of any type.
AI is emerging as a news intermediary beyond chatbot inclusion in headline figures: 10% of respondents say they use AI chatbots for news (up from 7% a year earlier).
In the UK, the report’s trust and payment details are stark and specific: Press Gazette reports that just 30% of people say they trust “most news most of the time” (vs. more than 50% a decade ago), pay for online news remains stable at 10% of Britons, and “AI answer engines” are used for news by only 4% in the UK—alongside a list of perceived poorly covered topics (immigration, climate and the Middle East).
For the first time, social media and video platforms are the world's most-used source of news. According to Reuters Institute, 54% of global respondents now turn to social and video platforms for news each week — surpassing both television and publisher websites. When AI chatbots are included, that figure rises to 56%.
The Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026 frames the shift not as a sudden collapse but a long drift. Audiences are now more likely to encounter news inside an algorithmic feed than to seek it out from a specific outlet. They are watching rather than reading — and they are increasingly trusting creators over newsrooms.
Online Video Now Beats TV News in 45 of 48 Markets
Online news video has become the dominant format globally. Reuters Institute found that 77% of respondents watch online news video each week. In 45 of the 48 markets studied, more people now watch online news video than broadcast television news. That is a near-total sweep across regions and income levels.
Publishers are not capturing this video growth. Video consumption on publishers' own websites and apps fell by five percentage points in a single year, according to Reuters Institute. The growth is happening on platforms — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram — not on the sites that journalists build and maintain.
Creators Now Rival Newsrooms as News Sources
A new class of news provider has emerged. Reuters Institute found that 46% of respondents get at least some news from creators of any type. Another 27% follow news-focused creators specifically. These are not fringe figures — they now rival traditional journalists in reach.
Platform behavior shapes how this discovery happens. Facebook and Instagram tend to surface news incidentally — users stumble on it. TikTok and YouTube are increasingly used with intent, as people actively search for news there. The report notes that sensitive topics like immigration, climate change, and the Middle East are seen as poorly covered by mainstream outlets, creating space that creators are filling, according to Press Gazette.
UK Trust Hits 30%, AI Creeps In as News Tool
Trust in news is at a record low. In the UK, just 30% of people say they trust most news most of the time, down from more than 50% a decade ago, according to Press Gazette. Global AI chatbot use for news rose from 7% to 10% in a single year. In the UK, that figure is just 4%, suggesting a cautious audience not yet ready to hand off news decisions to machines.
Paywalls have not solved the revenue problem. Only 10% of Britons pay for online news, a rate that has not grown meaningfully. Press Gazette reports that publishers are shifting strategy — moving toward audience-building on platforms rather than relying on direct subscriptions alone. The economic model that sustained legacy journalism is under severe strain.
What the Drift Means for the Future of Journalism
The implications are structural. If users live inside algorithmic feeds, publishers become content suppliers to platforms rather than destinations in their own right. TechXplore notes the report shows news is now encountered rather than sought — a fundamental change in how civic information flows through society.
The demographic pressure makes this harder to reverse. Video acceleration is sharpest among younger adults. As that group ages, 77% weekly video news consumption could become the baseline for everyone. Text-based, subscription-funded journalism may survive — but as a niche product, not a mass one. Reuters Institute calls this a long drift. By 2026, it looks less like a drift and more like an arrival.
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