The most recent Reuters Institute Digital New Report is their largest so far, surveying nearly 100,000 people across 47 countries through online questionnaires, which go in depth on the evolving trends in digital news consumption. The report sheds light on how technology, platforms, and audience behaviours are reforming the news industry. We took a deep dive into the report to…

The role of social media
The way people consume news is going through a big transformation. Facebook and other traditional platforms have started to minimise news content, leading to a decline of around 4% in its use for news over the past year. Whereas, video-based social media such as TikTok and Instagram have continued to grow in popularity, especially among younger demographics, as shown by over two-thirds of the respondents stating they use short-form news content weekly. Private messaging apps such as WhatsApp also play an ever increasing role in how people share and read news. The general trend of shifting to more digital content leads to challenges for publishers as consumers move away from traditional news websites and apps.

Reader Trust
Trust in news is still a substantial issue, with global levels at 40%. Finland has the highest level of trust (69%), while Greece and Hungary rank the lowest (23%). Misinformation is of growing concern, with 59% of the respondents being worried about fake or misleading content. These concerns are further compounded by the rise of deepfakes and AI which have complicated the information landscape. This is particularly present during elections or conflicts, where the misinformation then starts to centre on politics, health and war. Artificial Intelligence has made its mark on Journalism, with publishers using AI for cost-saving tasks such as transcription and content personalization. However, audiences generally remain cautious about AI-generated content, especially when it comes to topics such as politics or conflict. Although AI presents very valuable opportunities to increase efficiency, transparency and trust will be essential for its wider acceptance in news production with its use.

Financial Pressures
News organisations are facing financial pressures as well. Issues such as falling advertising revenues, rising costs and declining traffic from social media platforms have been challenging to publishers across the globe. Subscriptions for online news have levelled out, with only 17% in wealthier countries paying for news. The challenges are particularly harsh on smaller publishers, who struggle to compete with major outlets who take up the majority of the subscription market. A lot of consumers want more affordable options, but even heavy discounting has little effect on converting new subscribers.

The report entails a growing trend of selective news avoidance, with 39% stating they sometimes avoid news altogether. This is either due to emotional overload of dissatisfaction with the content. The younger audience is moving towards alternative sources with influencers on platforms such as TikTok being more engaging and relatable. Despite the challenges, the report emphasises the necessity for publishers to innovate, diversify what they offer and rebuild trust with audiences.

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