In a major shift in the UK’s media landscape, online news has officially surpassed television as the top source for news consumption. A new survey conducted by Ofcom, the broadcast regulator, reveals that 71% of the population now get their news online, compared to 70% who still rely on TV bulletins.
Over the past year, online news consumption grew from 68% to 71%, while social media usage for news also saw a notable rise, jumping from 47% to 52%. Among younger audiences aged 16 to 24, a staggering 82% said they turn to social media platforms for their news updates.
Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are leading the charge as the most popular online news sources. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, emerged as the second-largest news provider, with 40% of users saying they rely on it for news. Despite the rise of these platforms, the BBC still holds the crown as the biggest single news source, with 68% of people turning to it for updates.
Interestingly, while this survey reflects what people say they use, actual data on usage shows an even bigger BBC reach—75% of the UK population interacts with BBC News in an average week.
Traditional news platforms, however, are facing a sharp decline. Newspaper readership, including both print and online versions, dropped from 39% to 34%. TV news viewership also took a hit, falling from 75% to 70%. BBC News online experienced a similar dip, dropping from 22% to 18%.
On the digital front, the BBC and CNN continue to dominate as the two largest news websites globally, according to the UK Press Gazette. The BBC saw 1.2 billion visits in July 2024, while CNN received 710 million, both showing significant growth over the past year.
YouTube saw the largest surge in news users, with 19% of people saying they now use it as a news source—up from just 7% in 2023. Ofcom clarified that last year YouTube wasn’t specifically named in the survey, which likely accounts for this dramatic rise.
Meanwhile, traditional news brands like The Guardian and the Daily Mail maintained steady online traffic, with 10% and 14% of people using them for news, respectively. The Guardian’s website emerged as the top newspaper site in the UK, amassing 365 million visits in July 2024.
Print newspapers continue their decline, even among older readers. In the last year, the number of over-55s reading print newspapers fell from 38% to 32%.
Despite these trends, BBC One remains the most mentioned single news source in the survey, with 43% of respondents tuning in for their news. Although TV news is on the decline, it still holds a strong presence, with BBC One leading by 13% over its nearest rivals, ITV and Facebook, which both stand at 30%.
As online news continues to rise, it’s clear that digital platforms are shaping the future of news consumption, with social media playing an increasingly dominant role.
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