By William J. Furney
The vast majority of people have tuned out of television as a source for news and are instead relying on the various online sites and platforms, the results of a new survey show.
The decline of traditional media, including printed newspapers, has accelerated in recent years as digital news increasingly takes over, the survey, by UK media regulatory Ofcom, reveals.
For the first time, news websites and apps are slightly more popular than TV news channels, which no longer command the dominance they have long since enjoyed, the report says.
A total of 71 percent of UK adults are now getting their news online compared to 70 percent who watch TV news, it says.
TV news viewership fell from 75 percent in the last few years to 70 percent last year as more people turn to social media to follow the latest news stories, Ofcom said.
Over half, or 52 percent of UK adults, get their news via Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, a rise from 47 percent in 2023. And while younger people are far more likely to shun TV news and go online in search of news — 88 percent of those aged 16 to 24 — older people are increasingly also going online to find out what’s happening around the country and the wider world, according to the survey.
A long-running issue with fake news online persists, however.
“Television has dominated people’s news habits since the 60s, and it still commands really high trust,” said Ofcom Group Director Yih-Choung Teh.
“But we’re witnessing a generational shift to online news, which is often seen as less reliable, together with growing fears about misinformation and deepfake content.
“Ofcom wants to secure high-quality news for the next generation, so we’re kicking off a review of the public service media that help underpin the UK’s democracy and public debate.”