Digital news Consumption Shifts: Fragmentation, personalities, and AI
Table of Contents
By Alice Davidson | LONDON – 2025/06/17 13:26:11
A new media landscape is emerging, characterized by fragmentation, a focus on personalities, and the increasing influence of technology, according to the 2025 Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute. The report, which surveyed 100,000 people across 48 markets, highlights significant shifts in how people consume news.
While overall trust in news remains steady at 40%, the report identifies two key trends. First, alternative voices and personalities are gaining traction, particularly in the United States and the Global South. Second, AI chatbots are emerging as a news source, especially among younger demographics, with 12% reporting using them for current event details.
These developments present both opportunities and challenges. While they offer new avenues for user engagement, they also raise concerns about the reliability of information. The report notes that podcasters,YouTubers,and politicians are frequently enough perceived as partisan and potential sources of misinformation.Similarly, AI-generated news is viewed with some skepticism regarding its trustworthiness.
According to Nic Newman, the lead author of the report, these concerns could benefit established news organizations as audiences seek reliable sources for fact-checking.
“The rise of social video and personality-driven news represents another significant challenge for conventional publishers.”
The report indicates a growing reliance on social media and video platforms for news,particularly among younger audiences. 44% of individuals aged 18 to 24 cite these networks as their primary news source. Social video consumption has increased from 52% in 2020 to 65% in 2025. in countries like the Philippines, Thailand, Kenya, and India, more people prefer watching news over reading it, boosting the popularity of news creators.
Newman notes that “The rise of social video and personality-driven news represents another significant challenge for traditional publishers that are struggling to adapt their content and tone to these very different environments. Online video may be a good way to engage younger audiences, but there is very little commercial upside for publishers, with most news consumption mostly taking place via platforms rather than owned and operated news websites.Publishers also face a loss of influence, with populist politicians increasingly looking to bypass scrutiny by working with sympathetic influencers rather.”
Frequently asked Questions
- How is trust in news changing?
- While trust in news is holding steady there are concerns about the trustworthiness of news from alternative sources and AI chatbots.
- Why are younger audiences turning to social media for news?
- Social media and video platforms offer easily accessible and engaging content formats that appeal to younger demographics.
- What are the challenges for traditional news publishers?
- Traditional publishers face challenges in adapting to the changing media landscape, including the rise of social video and personality-driven news.
