Social media and video platforms have overtaken conventional news websites and applications as sources of news for the first time across the markets surveyed by the Reuters Institute, marking a significant development in how information reaches the public.
According to the 2026 Digital News Report, published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, 54 per cent of respondents across 48 markets said they had used social media or video networks for news during the previous week.
By comparison, 51 per cent had accessed news through media organisations’ own websites and applications, while 52 per cent had used television.
The findings reflect a gradual redistribution of audiences towards platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
For businesses and institutions, the implications extend beyond advertising.
Corporate announcements, executive statements and reputational controversies are increasingly encountered through digital intermediaries rather than directly through established news organisations.
News increasingly reaches audiences indirectly
The traditional model of corporate communications has relied heavily on relationships with journalists and media organisations.
Companies issued statements, arranged interviews and distributed press releases, expecting audiences to encounter the resulting coverage through newspapers, broadcasters or news websites.
That process remains important, but the distribution of information has become considerably more complicated.
A news report may now reach consumers through an individual social media post, a video excerpt, an independent commentator or an algorithmically selected recommendation.
The original publisher may remain responsible for the reporting, while the platform determines how prominently the information appears.
This means organisations have less influence over the context in which their statements are encountered.
A lengthy corporate explanation can be reduced to a short video clip or a sentence circulated without the qualifications included in the original announcement.
For communications teams, the challenge is not necessarily the disappearance of traditional journalism, but the increasing separation between the production of information and its distribution.
Video becomes central to news consumption
The Reuters Institute found that 77 per cent of respondents consumed online news video weekly across the surveyed markets.
YouTube was used for news by 34 per cent of respondents, Instagram by 26 per cent and TikTok by 20 per cent.
The growing importance of video is particularly relevant to corporate communications because visual formats often circulate differently from written statements.
An interview with a senior executive, footage from a manufacturing facility or a recording of a public event can reach audiences beyond those normally interested in business reporting.
However, the movement towards video also creates new editorial demands.
Companies must consider whether their communications remain understandable when viewed without the accompanying explanation provided in a full article or press release.
Visual material may also be edited, shortened or republished by third parties, potentially changing the context of the original message.
The rise of independent commentators
Another finding concerns the growing influence of individuals who produce news-related content independently of conventional media organisations.
The research found that 27 per cent of respondents had encountered content from news-focused creators during the previous week.
When creators who also discuss news alongside other subjects were included, the proportion rose to 46 per cent.
These figures suggest that individuals outside established newsrooms have become significant participants in the public information environment.
For companies, such commentators can influence public perceptions of products, corporate decisions and controversial events.
However, popularity should not automatically be confused with credibility.
The Reuters Institute found that audiences often regarded news creators as engaging and accessible, while also expressing reservations about their trustworthiness and impartiality.
This presents a challenge for organisations deciding whether and how to engage with independent online personalities.
Reputation management becomes more complicated
The report also identified a decline in overall trust in news.
Across the surveyed markets, 37 per cent of respondents said they trusted most news most of the time, the lowest level recorded since the Institute began measuring the indicator in 2015.
At the same time, concern about misinformation remained widespread.
For corporate communications, these developments underline the importance of verifiable statements and accessible primary information.
When a company faces criticism, responding exclusively through a single press release or media interview may be insufficient to address the range of conversations taking place online.
However, rapid engagement across multiple platforms also carries risks.
Inconsistent responses, unverified claims or attempts to address criticism without sufficient evidence can create additional confusion.
A company’s ability to communicate effectively therefore depends partly on maintaining accurate information that can be referenced across different channels.
Traditional media retains a distinct role
The report does not indicate that newspapers, broadcasters and established news websites have become irrelevant.
Many audiences continue to encounter reporting from traditional publishers through social media platforms.
Moreover, the Institute found that people following news creators often consume conventional news as well.
For communications professionals, this suggests that established media relationships and digital distribution strategies should be regarded as complementary rather than mutually exclusive.
The commercial pressures facing publishers may continue to change where journalism is encountered, but the underlying importance of reliable reporting remains.
For European companies, the changing media landscape requires closer attention to how information travels after publication.
An organisation may control its initial statement, but it cannot control every subsequent interpretation.
Understanding that distinction is becoming an essential part of contemporary corporate reputation management.
