What does the decline in news interest mean for media?

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The decline in news interest is pushing media to fight harder for audiences on social and video platforms while betting more on smaller, loyal readers on their own outlets.
The Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026 shows that interest in news is falling, with the share of people saying they are “extremely” or “very” interested dropping by an average of 13% across surveyed markets since 2021. At the same time, trust in news fell to 37% in 2026, the lowest since 2015, while social media and video networks became the most widely used source of news globally at 54% of all audiences.
Interest and trust are declining at the same time
Since 2021, interest in news has steadily weakened, and a quarter of respondents now describe themselves as casual or passive news users who consume news only about once a week and show little to no interest, up from 16% in 2021. Trust also declined in 29 of 48 markets this year, bringing overall trust to 37% in 2026, the lowest level recorded since measurement began in 2015. The report links these declines to shifts in the news consumption mix, where social media, video networks and AI chatbots are used more than legacy sources.
Traditional channels are losing reach
The report says the use of TV news has fallen by 13% since 2020, and the use of news organisations’ websites and apps has fallen by 12% over the same period. This matters for media because the places where audiences used to go for news—TV and publisher-owned digital properties—are shrinking in usage. With social media and video networks now ahead of other news sources at 54% of all audiences, attention is increasingly being captured outside traditional channels.
Platforms where loyalty is lower are becoming the battleground
As interest and trust fall, news organisations face mounting pressure to retain audiences, the report says. It frames 2026 as a milestone because social media and video network consumption is now the leading gateway to news globally, even though these platforms are also where audience intent and loyalty are lowest. In that environment, monetisation prospects are described as more challenging, prompting publishers to re-evaluate how their social media strategies are performing.
Media are shifting focus toward smaller loyal audiences on their own outlets
The report says many publishers are reflecting on what their social media strategy is yielding, while also focusing on maximising engagement and value from the smaller but more loyal audience that continues to read, watch and listen to news on their own outlets. This shift is tied to the broader pattern of changing consumption behaviour, including growing use of AI chatbots for news and more video-led discovery through platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Overall, the decline in interest signals that media outlets must manage audience attention in a fragmented environment rather than rely on legacy traffic alone.

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What does the decline in news interest mean for media?

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