Social media and video platforms have become the primary way Americans get news, overtaking TV and news websites, research suggests.
US podcaster Joe Rogan’s content was seen by almost a quarter of people in the US in the week of the research
More than half (54%) of people now report getting news from platforms such as Facebook, X and YouTube.
That figure exceeds television, used by 50% for news, and news websites or apps, used by 48%, the Reuters Institute found.
The report noted:
“The rise of social media and personality-based news is not unique to the United States, but changes seem to be happening faster – and with more impact – than in other countries.”
Podcaster Joe Rogan topped the list of widely seen personalities.
Almost a quarter of Americans (22%) said they had encountered news or commentary from him in the previous week.
The report’s author, Nic Newman, warned the growth of social video and personality-led news poses a serious challenge to traditional publishers.
“The rise of social video and personality-driven news represents another significant challenge for traditional publishers.”
The institute also highlighted that some politicians prefer interviews with sympathetic online hosts over mainstream interviewers.
It said populist politicians across the globe are increasingly bypassing traditional journalism in favour of friendly partisan media, personalities and influencers.
Those hosts often receive special access and seldom ask tough questions, the report said.
It warned many such outlets and figures are implicated in spreading false narratives or worse.
Despite their reach, influencers and online personalities were seen as a major source of incorrect or misleading information by almost half the global public (47%).
That rating put them on par with politicians as perceived sources of misinformation.
The study also reported usage patterns for specific platforms.
X shows stable or rising use for news in many markets, with the largest increase in the US.
The institute said that after Elon Musk took over X in 2022, “many more right-leaning people, notably young men, have flocked to the network, while some progressive audiences have left or are using it less frequently.”
In the US, the share of users who described themselves as on the right tripled after Musk’s takeover.
In the UK, right-wing audiences on X have almost doubled.
Rival platforms such as Threads, Bluesky and Mastodon have made little global impact for news, with reach at 2% or less.
Other key findings about news sources:
TikTok is the fastest-growing social and video platform, now used for news by 17% worldwide, up four percentage points from last year.
Use of AI chatbots to obtain news is rising, and they are twice as popular with under-25s compared with the general population.
However, most people believe AI will reduce transparency, accuracy and trustworthiness in the news.
All age groups still value trusted brands with a record for accuracy, even if they use them less often than before.
The Reuters Institute’s report is in its 14th year.
It surveyed almost 100,000 people in 48 countries.