Trust in news is at its lowest level globally since 2015, as interest in news dwindles; at the same time, more people around the world are accessing news through third-party platforms, such as social media and video networks, rather than through websites and television channels of established news brands, according to the 15^th edition of the Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report.

The report, produced in collaboration with the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, is based on an online survey of nearly 1 lakh people across 48 markets worldwide.

Consumption patterns have changed, the study found, with audiences’ growing disengagement with news; even so, trust in established news brands and support for the idea of impartial news persist. However, globally, social media and video networks — Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube — have overtaken news organisations’ own websites and apps as the most widely used means of accessing news.

The proportion of people using social media and video networks as their primary source of news has also risen; while this trend is more evident among younger audiences, it is prevalent across all age groups, the study found. It also found that the younger generations are unlikely to acquire the news habits of their parents, such as reading a newspaper. In fact, older audiences are moving towards the consumption habits of younger audiences, the study found.

Use of AI for news

There has also been a rise in the use of AI chatbots as a means of accessing news, the study found, with 10% of respondents globally now using them. This is especially true among audiences below 35 years of age. Paradoxically, while traditional news sources decline amid the emergence of platforms, people are also more concerned about misinformation and put less trust in the news they come across.

Rise in video consumption

There has been a marked rise in the consumption of online news videos. The study found that 77% of its global sample consume online news videos every week. They are, however, consuming them not on news websites or apps but on third-party platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

The study also pointed to the role of content creators in the news ecosystem: about 27% respondents get news through content creators, but they have not necessarily replaced traditional media outlets and have only complemented them. While creators are rated lower on trust and impartiality, they are seen as being more entertaining and easier to comprehend than traditional media. This goes to show that the popularity of creators and online video does not mean people no longer want news; it only suggests they want it to be more accessible and relatable, the study stated.