News: Poison for the Soul? 39% Choose the Happiness of Not Knowing
In an era of global political upheaval and ongoing international conflicts, the role of independent journalism is more important than ever. However, according to the latest Digital News Report, the media industry in many countries is facing unprecedented challenges. The study, which surveyed 95,000 people across 47 countries, revealed a number of alarming trends. Disinformation, low public trust, attacks from politicians, and unstable economic conditions are just some of the problems media outlets are battling worldwide.
Financial difficulties have led to mass layoffs in the media industry. Many countries are seeing journalists lose their jobs, publications shutting down, and budgets being slashed. The reasons for the crisis are complex: rising costs, declining advertising revenue, and a sharp drop in traffic from social networks.
One of the key factors worsening the situation is the changing strategy of tech giants. Over the past year, the use of Facebook* for news consumption has dropped by 4 percentage points across all surveyed countries. Meanwhile, alternative platforms are gaining popularity: 31% of respondents use YouTube to watch news weekly, 21% use WhatsApp, and TikTok (13%) has, for the first time, surpassed Twitter/X** (10%).
Video is becoming an increasingly important source of news, especially for young people. Short news videos are watched weekly by 66% of those surveyed, while longer formats attract about 51%. Notably, 72% of news video consumption happens on third-party platforms, with only 22% occurring on publishers’ own websites.
The level of trust in news remains stable at 40%, but this is still 4 percentage points lower than during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The highest trust level is in Finland (69%), while the lowest is in Greece and Hungary (23% each).
Overall interest in news is declining. For example, in Argentina, interest has dropped from 77% in 2017 to 45% today. In the UK, interest in news has nearly halved since 2015. At the same time, more people (39%) say they sometimes or often avoid the news—3 percentage points higher than last year.
The growth in paid news subscriptions has stalled—only 17% of respondents in 20 developed countries pay for online news. Northern European countries lead: 40% in Norway and 31% in Sweden pay for news. The lowest share of paying users is in Japan (9%) and the UK (8%).
The study revealed a gap between what the media offers and what audiences want. Readers are interested in more diverse perspectives on events and positive stories. There is also demand for more coverage of local news, healthcare, and education.
Despite the overall crisis, there are some positive trends. News podcasts remain a promising area, attracting a young and educated audience. About 35% of users listen to podcasts monthly, with 13% tuning in to news-related content.
Attitudes toward the use of artificial intelligence in journalism remain cautious. People are more comfortable with AI being used for support tasks such as transcription and translation, but want key decisions to be made by journalists, not algorithms.
Overall, the report paints a complex picture of the media industry’s transformation. Media outlets face serious challenges, but they also have opportunities to adapt to the changing digital environment and audience demands. Key factors for success will be the ability to rebuild reader trust, find sustainable business models, and effectively use new technologies—while maintaining a human approach to quality journalism.