In the changing media landscape, a report by the UK-based Reuters Institute sheds light on a growing trend among young people: the preference for social media personalitiessuch as influencers and celebrities, as main sources of news instead of traditional news outlets.
news consumption trends
55% of the users of TikTok and Snapchatand 52% of the users of instagram they get their news from personalities on these platforms. This contrasts with the 33-42% who still receive their news from the media and journalists on these same platforms. These figures are the result of interviews conducted with 94,000 people in 46 countries.
The new news’
For young people, the term “news” has evolved to encompass a wide range of topics, from sports, entertainment, celebrity gossip, current affairs, culture, arts to technology.
Facebook losing ground
Despite being the number one source of news among social networks, Facebook has seen a decline in its influence, with just 28% of respondents saying they use the platform for news, up from 42% in 2016.
The rise of TikTok
TikTok, on the other hand, is gaining popularity among young people. The app now reaches 44% of 18-24 year olds, and 20% of these get their news from the app, an increase of 5% over the previous year.
Risks and challenges
The report points out that only 30% of those surveyed consider that the use of algorithms to obtain news is a good way to have a balanced view of the news, although this is still higher than the trust placed in journalists, which is in 27%. This trend presents a challenge for traditional media that is dependent on subscribers and ad revenue, with 39% of subscribers having canceled or renegotiated their subscriptions.
a fundamental change
The decline in direct traffic to news websites is another notable change, from 32% in 2018 to 22% today. This shift in consumer behavior represents a bigger challenge for the news industry than the shift from print to digital media.
This media evolution, although inevitable, raises questions about the accuracy, objectivity and plurality of the news that young people consume. As algorithms become the new gatekeepers of information, we must ask ourselves: Are we fostering an informed society or just reinforcing filter bubbles?
