The Reuters Digital News Report 2026, unveiled at the DW Global Media Forum in Bonn, investigates how people obtain information in today’s digital landscape and identifies whom they trust as news sources.
Jim Egan, the study’s lead author, delivered a sobering presentation, noting that the data are “quite unsettling in many respects.” Conducted by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, the report remains the most comprehensive annual survey of news consumption worldwide.
Social media currently leads the field
A key finding of the report reveals that social media networks and video platforms now serve as news sources more often than traditional television or the websites and apps of news organizations.
This shift reflects not growth in platform usage but a departure from conventional news formats: ‘Social media consumption is not expanding significantly,’ Egan explained, ‘yet we are witnessing a decline in the use of other channels, including broadcast television news and direct visits to news outlets’ websites or apps.'”
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Video: Long formats are popular, too
The study also highlights the growing significance of video news formats, with 75% of respondents reporting weekly consumption of news videos, particularly on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Globally, 20% cite TikTok as a news source and 34% rely on YouTube, though usage differs by region; for example, 66% of Kenyan consumers obtain news via YouTube.
Publishers that produce original video content are struggling to monetize this trend, as audience engagement with on‑site video remains limited, according to Egan. ‘Despite the clear popularity of video, users are not responding positively to on‑site video offerings.’
Far from confirming stereotypes about short attention spans, the report shows that long‑form video consumption is strong among younger users; roughly 20% regularly watch videos longer than 20 minutes, and a comparable share follow live news broadcasts on YouTube.
Younger audiences are especially active in this regard. ‘It is not the case that younger people will only ever watch two‑minute videos,’ Egan emphasizes. Moreover, consumption is shifting back to the home environment, with a quarter of respondents globally reporting that they view news on platforms such as YouTube on their television sets.
Artificial intelligence is emerging as a news source, with the proportion of respondents using AI chatbots to obtain news rising from 7% to 10% worldwide last year. ‘This is fast but not explosive growth,’ Egan remarked, adding that ‘trust in AI‑generated news is currently very low, though that may change.’
No alternative channels have yet become universally dominant. While some young people rely on self‑identified news influencers, they constitute a marginal segment, with only 10% indicating that these sources satisfy all of their news consumption needs.
Trust continues to sink
Egan warned that declining trust poses a persistent risk, noting that confidence in news fell by at least three percentage points in 29 of the 48 surveyed countries. Overall, only 37% of global respondents reported that they mostly trust the news. ‘Statistical shifts of this magnitude are unlikely in a single year,’ he added.
Despite these challenges, the report reaffirms the enduring relevance of journalism. ‘Journalism still matters — in many ways it matters more than ever,’ Egan told the Bonn audience, noting that audiences increasingly seek orientation amid growing uncertainty and fear.
Roughly 100,000 people in 48 countries worldwide were interviewed for the 2026 edition of the Reuters Digital News Report.
The German portion of the study was carried out by the Leibniz Institute for Media Research in Hamburg.
The Reuters Institute is a research institution at the University of Oxford in England and receives financial support from the US tech giant Google, among others.
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