Study: What's happening with the news and how are you consuming it?

In many countries, especially outside Europe and the United States, there has been a significant decline in the use of Facebook for news and a growing reliance on a range of alternatives including private messaging apps and video networks.

In fact, news consumption across online platforms is fragmenting, with a third (31%) of consumers using YouTube for news. Meanwhile, a fifth (21%) use WhatsApp for news. Around 13% use TikTok, which has overtaken X (10%) for the first time, saidReuter's 2024 Digital News Report, which is based on data from six continents and 47 markets. 

Don't miss: Study: YouTube the most popular social platform in 2023

As such, there is a strong shift towards video-based networks such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, and the dependence on social media for news.  TikTok remains the most popular with younger groups across all markets. However, the future of TikTok remains uncertain in the US following concerns about Chinese influence. It is also already banned in India. 

Across countries, two-thirds (66%) say they access a short news video at least once a week. In Asia Pacific, almost nine in ten (87%) of the online population in Thailand access short-form videos weekly.  India comes in second with 81%, followed by Hong Kong (80%) and the Philippines (80%), Indonesia (78%) and Taiwan (78%) and South Korea with 76%. Rounding out the bottom five are Malaysia (74%), Singapore (59%), Australia (54%) and Japan (39%). 

According to the report, the three core reasons why audiences are attracted to video and other content in social and video platforms are the enduring belief that videos are harder to falsify, the convenience of having news served on a platform where time is already spent, and the different perspectives videos can bring.

That said, concern about what is real and what is fake on the internet when it comes to online news has risen by 3% in the last year with around six in ten (59%) saying they are concerned. Worries about how to distinguish between trustworthy and untrustworthy content in online platforms is highest for TikTok and X when compared with other online networks. 

Both platforms have hosted misinformation or conspiracies around stories such as the war in Gaza, the Princess of Wales' health as well as 'deep fake' pictures and videos. 

At the same time, the report found a rise in selective news avoidance, where around four in ten (39%) respondents say they sometimes or often avoid the news. 

Finally, news podcasting remains a bright spot for publishers, attracting younger, well-educated audiences. Across a basket of 20 countries, just over a third (35%) access a podcast monthly, with 13% accessing a show relating to news and current affairs. 

Many of the most popular podcasts are now filmed and distributed via video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.

Interestingly, a study by marketing measurement platform Lifesight.io found that YouTube was the most visited social media platform with visits soaring to 1.35 trillion in 2023, a significant leap from its 2019 count of 263.3 billion.

This growth signifies an 80.49% increase over the last five years, with the platform's growth rate hitting a 5.13 multiple. Undoubtedly, this is due to the ease of viewing content with the introduction of YouTube Shorts.

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