Journalism and news distribution are constantly facing new challenges and transformations that affect both consumers and content creators. The 2024 Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, which analyzes 47 news markets, sheds light on these challenges, offering a detailed overview of the current state of global news consumption.
This analysis helps us better understand how people around the world interact with the news and identifies the main trends shaping today’s media landscape.
Diversified Consumption on Digital Platforms: Facebook on the Decline
One of the most notable trends in 2024 is the continued decline in the use of Facebook for news consumption, contrasting with an increase in reliance on alternative platforms like YouTube, WhatsApp, and TikTok, which have now surpassed Twitter in popularity.
This reflects a significant shift in news consumption habits, with a clear move towards platforms that offer shorter and more visually appealing formats, especially among younger users.
Reels, TikToks... The Rise of Video
Video has become a crucial source for online news, particularly among younger groups.
A notable 66% of young people get their news this way, meaning more than 6 out of 10 young people access short informational videos weekly.
This shift towards video consumption presents new challenges for monetization and audience engagement, as most of these videos are consumed on social media platforms rather than on traditional media websites.
"On average, across the countries analyzed, two-thirds (66%) consume at least one short news video weekly; the highest levels are found outside the United States and Western Europe. In Thailand, nearly nine out of ten (87%) watch short videos every week, and half (50%) do so daily. Americans access them at a slightly lower frequency (60% weekly and 20% daily), while the British are the least likely to consume news in these formats (39% weekly and only 9% daily)."
Mexico ranks as the second Latin American country where news videos are most consumed, with 77%.
News Sources and Credibility
Most consumers cited digital platforms, including social media, search engines, and aggregators, as their primary source of online news.
However, only one-fifth identify media websites or apps as their main channel, representing a 10% decline compared to previous years. Additionally, there is growing concern about how to distinguish between reliable content and unreliable content, especially on platforms like TikTok and X, where misinformation and AI-generated content, such as deepfakes, are prevalent.
And You, Do You Trust the News?
Despite the challenges, trust in the news has remained stable at 40%, though it has generally declined since the peak of the pandemic. This varies significantly between countries, with Finland showing the highest levels of trust at 69%, while countries like Greece and Hungary have the lowest (23%), where political and corporate influence over the media is a growing concern.
TikTok is the social network where users find it most difficult to identify reliable news, while Google is where it is easiest.
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"I Don't Watch the News"
There has been an increase in selective news avoidance, with 39% of people indicating that they sometimes or frequently avoid the news, a phenomenon intensified by conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The countries with the highest increase in news avoidance are Brazil, Spain, Germany, and Finland.
Simultaneously, interest in news and politics has decreased in several countries, reflecting a widespread disillusionment with the current news landscape.
What the User Needs
The 2024 Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found, when exploring user needs, that "media may focus too much on updating the most important news and not spend enough time providing different perspectives or telling stories that can occasionally offer a basis for optimism. Thematically, audiences often feel well-served in politics and sports, but in some countries, there are gaps regarding local content, health, and education."
Subscriptions and Podcasts
Most digital subscriptions are concentrated among a few large national brands, and there has not been significant growth in the number of people paying for online news.
"In 20 countries where many media outlets promote digital subscriptions, payment levels have almost doubled since 2014, increasing from 10% to 17%. However, after a strong increase during the pandemic, such growth has slowed. Publishers have already attracted many of those willing to pay and have converted some occasional donors into regular subscribers or donors. Amid a cost-of-living crisis, it is challenging to persuade the majority of the public," the report details.
However, journalistic podcasts remain a bright spot, attracting young and educated audiences, although they continue to be a minority activity
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