Social feeds eclipse publisher sites as the new frontline for news
The 2026 Reuters Institute Digital News Report shows online news growth now largely coming from third‑party platforms as audiences abandon publishers’ sites and apps. Younger readers (especially 18–34) are leaving owned platforms fastest, while social media and video networks dominate where people get their news. YouTube emerges as the platform of choice for news videos, and AI chatbots for news are rising (about 10% globally, higher among youths) but rarely replace traditional sources. TV news retention is slipping among younger viewers, and news creators play a supplementary rather than replacement role. Willingness to pay for online news remains around 17–18% with wide regional variation, underscoring a global shift toward social-first consumption and new distribution dynamics for publishers.
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