Online now the leading source of UK news – Ofcom
Regulator’s latest reports show that, for the first time since the 1960s, TV is no longer our leading source of news.
The latest, annual news consumption reports from media regulator notes what it calls ‘a generational shift in the balance of news media’. While a sizeable 70% of us get our news from the TV, for the first time ever, more of us – 71% – access news online.
Photo by Austin Distel
This is the first time that TV has not been the leading source of news since the 1960s, when the medium overtook radio and newspapers, as part of a wider increase in ownership of TV sets.
Today, the big driving factor behind the shift is our increased use of social media to keep up with a fast-changing world. More than half of all UK adults (52%) use platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to access news – the latest figure up from 47% in 2023.
At the same time, the reach of TV news has dropped from 75% last year to 70%.
What’s more, the Ofcom report demonstrates that the change is being driven by younger people. Some 88% of those aged 16-24 access news online, while older generations are only gradually adding online sources to the ways they already access news. Of those aged 55+, just 28% access news via social media, compared to 82% of those aged 16-24. More than half (54%) of the same 55+ group access news online, mostly from dedicated news websites – a moderate rise from 45% in 2018.
Indeed, among those aged 55+, TV remains the leading platform for news at 85%, compared to just 49% for those aged 16-24.
These shifts are particularly significant given how accurate, impartial and trustworthy we consider the news to be on different platforms. The Ofcom report notes that many consider online news services, especially social media platforms, much less reliable than traditional platforms.
The regulator is keen to support trusted, valued public service media and has established a framework for its next review of the sector. It’s previous review, Small Screen: Big Debate, made a number of recommendations that were included in the Media Act 2024. Ofcom has also recently published a report on the role of news consumption in this summer’s general election.
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