USA Social Media Overtakes Traditional Outlets as America’s Primary News Source

[Social Media]

 

Title: Social Media Overtakes Traditional Outlets as America’s Primary News Source

 

Social media and video platforms have now become the leading sources of news in the United States, surpassing both traditional television and news websites, according to new research from the Reuters Institute. The findings indicate a significant shift in how Americans consume information, with 54% of respondents now turning to platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube for their news. This compares to 50% who still rely on TV and 48% who use news sites and apps.

 

“The rise of social media and personality-based news is not unique to the United States, but changes seem to be happening faster – and with more impact – than in other countries,” the report noted. This transformation in media consumption is reshaping not only how people access news but also the kind of content they engage with.

 

One of the most influential figures in this new media environment is podcaster Joe Rogan. The study found that nearly a quarter (22%) of the U.S. population encountered news or commentary from Rogan in the past week, highlighting the growing power of individual personalities over traditional outlets. Report author Nic Newman said this shift toward social video and personality-driven news “represents another significant challenge for traditional publishers.”

 

The report also spotlighted how some politicians are bypassing mainstream media in favor of interviews with sympathetic online personalities. “Populist politicians around the world are increasingly able to bypass traditional journalism in favour of friendly partisan media, 'personalities', and 'influencers' who often get special access but rarely ask difficult questions, with many implicated in spreading false narratives or worse,” it said.

 

Despite their popularity, these online influencers are also seen as a major source of misinformation. Nearly half (47%) of people worldwide identified them as a key contributor to false or misleading news—putting them on par with politicians. This suggests that the public is increasingly aware of the risks associated with consuming news from non-traditional, often partisan figures.

 

X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, continues to hold a strong position in the news landscape. Its usage for news remains “stable or increasing across many markets,” with the biggest surge happening in the United States. Since Elon Musk acquired the platform in 2022, the user base has shifted dramatically, with more right-leaning users—especially young men—joining, while some left-leaning individuals have either reduced their usage or left altogether. In fact, the proportion of users in the U.S. who identify as politically right-wing has tripled since Musk’s takeover, while in the UK, this demographic has nearly doubled.

 

Meanwhile, alternative platforms such as Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon have struggled to gain traction. The report found that these networks each reach just 2% or less of users seeking news, suggesting that despite the growing dissatisfaction with mainstream platforms, alternatives have yet to offer a compelling replacement.

 

Among other notable findings, TikTok is emerging as the fastest-growing news source on social media, now used by 17% of people globally for news, up four percentage points from last year. AI chatbots are also becoming a more common tool for accessing news, particularly among those under 25, who use them at twice the rate of the general population.

 

However, the report also revealed deep concerns about artificial intelligence and news. Most respondents fear that AI will reduce transparency, accuracy, and trust in journalism. Still, across all age groups, there remains a strong appreciation for established news brands that are known for their credibility, even if those sources are not used as frequently as in the past.

 

Now in its 14th year, the Reuters Institute’s annual report surveyed nearly 100,000 people across 48 countries, offering a comprehensive look at the evolving global news landscape.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC  2025-06-18

 

 

[KhunLA]

Hindsight, since enlightened now, though not much more than when a teen, and not sure if there ever was a 'news source' in the USA.  Just a propaganda machine, for those ignorant enough to believe the BS put out every evening in the days past.

 

Simple things like reporting the Nam war, and JFK assassination should have woke up the most ignorant folk.

 

If 9/11 & covid didn't wake up the rest of the idiots, then they will always believe what they are told.

[MalcolmB]

Social media feeding the American conspiracy loons.

No wonder the country is such a messy disaster.

[riclag]

“However, the report also revealed deep concerns about artificial intelligence and news. Most respondents fear that AI will reduce transparency, accuracy, and trust in journalism. Still, across all age groups, there remains a strong appreciation for established news brands that are known for their credibility, even if those sources are not used as frequently as in the past”.

 

AI  Gemini has apologized to me several times when  they intentionally 

left out key  leftist sources that they 

use to justify a conclusion.

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

12 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

Social media feeding the American conspiracy loons.

No wonder the country is such a messy disaster.

Excellent channel for AI BS, fake of all kind.

Undated disaster news etc.

Rockets flying, but where and when.

 

Some dumb nut recently forwarded a Whatsapp hoax (at least two years old) about RFK winning at the supreme court.

He believed that.

We are coming to a time where you can't believe anything from the internet.

[Purdey]

I still prefer professionals asking hard hitting questions that point out the flaws in someone's arguments. 

[FlorC]

Infowars reaches more people a day than the MSM tv.

[mogandave]

26 minutes ago, Purdey said:

I still prefer professionals asking hard hitting questions that point out the flaws in someone's arguments. 

Yes, we all do, but those days are long gone. The “professionals” all just toe the line.

[johng]

Alex Jones and Co are very informative and entertaining.

 

[Chomper Higgot]

Not at all a surprise, here on this forum a core of members frequently treat us to ripped memes and social media videos which they believe to be news.

[Chomper Higgot]

30 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Infowars reaches more people a day than the MSM tv.

And yet we are constantly being told about the undue influence of ‘left wing media’.

[johng]

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

not sure if there ever was a 'news source' in the USA.  Just a propaganda machine

Operation mockingbird still ongoing,

There's an MI6 equivalent with Reuters and a national UK broadsheet newspaper.

[johng]

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

And yet we are constantly being told about the undue influence of ‘left wing media’.

Alternative news has only really recently took off,due largely to the obvious absurd lies and propaganda spewed in the MSM since the “pandemic".

The MSM really did shoot themselves in the foot by following that narrative.

[FlorC]

Yes recently it took off because these outlets were banned from every platform , some for more than 4-5 years.

Musk reinstated most of them. 👍

The liberation of twitter/X by Musk was monumental .

[John Drake]

10 hours ago, Social Media said:

Meanwhile, alternative platforms such as Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon have struggled to gain traction.

 

They're dead. Few people bother with them.

[John Drake]

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Hindsight, since enlightened now, though not much more than when a teen, and not sure if there ever was a 'news source' in the USA.  Just a propaganda machine, for those ignorant enough to believe the BS put out every evening in the days past.

 

Simple things like reporting the Nam war, and JFK assassination should have woke up the most ignorant folk.

 

If 9/11 & covid didn't wake up the rest of the idiots, then they will always believe what they are told.

 

In a way, you're now seeing a return to the way news was covered during the first half of the twentieth century. Major cities and even larger regions used to have many competing newspapers that didn't hesitate to align with a political party or ideology. And those newspapers would run morning, afternoon, and evening editions, always updating events throughout the day. Not to mention that star columnists the equivalent of the Joe Rogans of today dominated, such as Walter Winchell, Drew Pearson, and Franklin Pierce Adams. Only in the 60s and 70s did American news become homogenized and indistinguishable. Twitter/X in particular is only return to how the press used to operate.

[KhunLA]

37 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

In a way, you're now seeing a return to the way news was covered during the first half of the twentieth century. Major cities and even larger regions used to have many competing newspapers that didn't hesitate to align with a political party or ideology. And those newspapers would run morning, afternoon, and evening editions, always updating events throughout the day. Not to mention that star columnists the equivalent of the Joe Rogans of today dominated, such as Walter Winchell, Drew Pearson, and Franklin Pierce Adams. Only in the 60s and 70s did American news become homogenized and indistinguishable. Twitter/X in particular is only return to how the press used to operate.

Born 1954, so yea, missed first half of 20th century.  Not much changed afterwards.  Except so called independent, investigative news, is now simply franchised by a very few controlling parent companies.

 

I really don't follow any news.  Less and less as I got older.   I actually get most of my headliners from AN.   Talk about bias, if not originally, it is when rewritten for AN.  Since most come from left wing folks, most gets ignored by me.

 

I live life, and not a damn thing in the news is going to change my day to day.    Financial news, and things that may actually affect me, I paid attention to.   But that's about it, and don't follow any financial news, as simply don't use or need to.   Finances are on auto pilot.  Gets deposited, I spend or save, and don't need any news for that.

 

There is and has never been anything in the news, that has affected my life, or that I could do something, that would affect any news item.  I don't vote, and only voted in 1 presidential election.

 

Missed the Nam war, as they stop drafting and don't think I was assigned a #.  Enlisted right after it ended, at 21 yrs old.  Would have been a good time to be a lifer, as no major conflicts the next couple decades, 1976 till my retirement 2001.  Earned way more than military pay, and still retired way early, without being told what, when and how to live.

 

I find hard to believe people actually follow any news ... BORING 

 

I use to read the Sunday newspaper (for coupons & comics), and only time I watched TV, was if there was one on at work during down time.   Rarely watched TV at home, taped any TV series to ff though the commercials, and don't think I owned a TV after 1980s.   Remember taping Miami Vice & Hill St Blues, nothing afterwards.

[Chomper Higgot]

The driving factor is the move to advertising first away from newspapers and then away from corporate media towards online on social media.

 

Clicks get advertising income and outrage gets clicks.

 

 

[jesimps]

Similar in the UK. Hardly surprising when all the mainstream media are just to the left of Mao Tse-tung.

[newbee2022]

That's according to average American's IQ.

Short sentences. Shortened truth and facts. Short-sighted. 

Short time news

[Purdey]

5 hours ago, FlorC said:

Yes recently it took off because these outlets were banned from every platform , some for more than 4-5 years.

Musk reinstated most of them. 👍

The liberation of twitter/X by Musk was monumental .

Yeah, Musk is a great defender of the alternative view.

[Sigmund]

Nobody anywhere in the west wants to bear anymore the brainwashing attempts of the regular mainstream medias who are totally leftist biased wokes. Simple as that. People now can think for themselves and want purely factual news reports and not of the hateful opinions and brainwashing conveyed by western medias. 

[Stocky]

15 hours ago, Social Media said:

Social media and video platforms have now become the leading sources of news in the United States, surpassing both traditional television and news websites, according to new research from the Reuters Institute.

As is abundantly clear by the number of bonkers posts and conspiracy fruitcake blather evident daily. 

[dinsdale]

Terrible. Only stupid people would get news from a wide range of differing views and be able to make their own minds up when MSM can tell them all they need to know.

[hotsun]

25 minutes ago, Purdey said:

Yeah, Musk is a great defender of the alternative view.

Agreed, thanks for the obvious

[frank83628]

9 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Social media feeding the American conspiracy loons.

No wonder the country is such a messy disaster.

Yes, those stupid conspiracy loons, Instead of beliving all the msm that told the world biden didn't have dementia, told us a mask prevented covid transmission, told us to praise doctors for covid work, then turn on them for not wanting a vax, told us russian collusion, told us assad gassed his own people, saddam had wmds..... 🤡🤡🤡🤡

[Mike_Hunt]

7 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

Yes, those stupid conspiracy loons, Instead of beliving all the msm that told the world biden didn't have dementia, told us a mask prevented covid transmission, told us to praise doctors for covid work, then turn on them for not wanting a vax, told us russian collusion, told us assad gassed his own people, saddam had wmds..... 🤡🤡🤡🤡

The MSN can't be trusted.   All they do is carry water for the DNC.

[frank83628]

Only gullible old timers still watching the legacy media.

How many times over the years have the mainstream media been proved wrong

[Mike_Hunt]

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

That's according to average American's IQ.

Short sentences. Shortened truth and facts. Short-sighted. 

Short time news

You are the last person who would be talking about anyones IQ. 

[josephbloggs]

1 minute ago, frank83628 said:

Only gullible old timers still watching the legacy media.

How many times over the years have the mainstream media been proved wrong

What a weird post.

How many times has complete fabricated rubbish been posted on social media?

 

The Air India crash is a good example: how many tweets have there been posting "leaked" ATSB preliminary reports that then get passed on and shared? It's a lot. Someone even posted one on here until intelligent people debunked it.

How many times have the mainstream media posted the same? None, because they fact check.