Reuters Study: Young People Increasingly Avoid Traditional News

The Reuters Institute at the University of Oxford has published its annual digital news consumption study, revealing significant shifts in how the public – especially young people – consumes information. The study was presented at the DW Global Media Forum in Bonn.

Lead author Jim Egan noted that the data is unsettling: young people are not only abandoning traditional news sources, but most have never even started using them. For instance, in the US, over a third of respondents under 25 said they had never regularly watched TV news or used news websites.

Social media and video platforms have become the main news sources, surpassing television and traditional media websites. However, despite increased usage, trust in news on these platforms is at its lowest. "There's an irony that people are moving to platforms they trust less," Egan remarked.

The study reveals that video formats are extremely important: 75% of respondents watch news videos weekly. Globally, 20% use TikTok as a news source, and 34% turn to YouTube. Interestingly, longer video formats (over 20 minutes) are also popular among young people, debunking the notion that they have short attention spans.

AI chatbot use for news has grown from 7% to 10% year-on-year. However, trust in AI-generated news remains low, though Egan stresses this is not a permanent state.

Trust in news continues to decline: 29 out of 48 countries surveyed recorded a drop of at least 3 percentage points. Globally, only 37% of respondents said they mostly trust the news.

Despite these challenges, the study emphasizes that quality journalism still matters – many people seek guidance and explanations, especially in times of growing uncertainty.