More Americans now rely on social media and video platforms for news than on television or traditional news websites, according to new research from the Reuters Institute.
The survey found that 54 percent of respondents in the United States get their news from platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and X. That figure edges out television, which stands at 50 percent, and news websites and apps at 48 percent.
The report highlights a significant shift in how people consume information, with growing preference for content driven by individual personalities rather than traditional outlets.
Podcaster Joe Rogan emerged as the most-watched media figure in the country, with 22 percent of respondents saying they encountered his news or commentary within the past week.
Nic Newman, author of the report, noted that the United States is experiencing a faster and more dramatic shift toward social and personality-based news than many other countries.
The findings also raise concerns about misinformation. Nearly half of global respondents identified online influencers and politicians as the leading sources of false or misleading content.
The report observed that politicians increasingly choose to appear on sympathetic online shows rather than face challenging questions from mainstream journalists.
X, formerly known as Twitter, saw its right-leaning user base triple in the United States after Elon Musk took ownership in 2022. In the United Kingdom, the right-wing audience on X has nearly doubled.
Meanwhile, newer platforms like Threads, Bluesky and Mastodon remain on the fringe, each reaching less than 2 percent of users seeking news.
TikTok continues to grow as a news platform, now used by 17 percent of people worldwide. This marks a four-point increase from the previous year.
The study also revealed that younger people are more likely to use AI-powered chatbots for news, although most participants expressed concern that artificial intelligence could reduce transparency and accuracy.
Despite these trends, trust in established media brands remains strong across all age groups. People still value reliable journalism, even if they engage with it less frequently than before.
The Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report is now in its 14th year and is based on responses from nearly 100,000 individuals across 48 countries.
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