Online news overtakes TV as top source for UK adults, Ofcom reports

UK Adults Now Turn to Online Sources as Much as TV for News, Ofcom Finds

For the first time, online sites and apps are as popular as television for delivering news to UK adults, according to new research from Ofcom. Once the dominant platform since the 1960s, television has been overtaken by digital sources as the primary way people consume news in the UK.

Ofcom's annual study reveals that 71% of adults now access news online, slightly surpassing the 70% who still rely on TV. This marks a pivotal moment in the media landscape, with the shift driven primarily by the rise of social media.

A significant factor in this change is the growing number of adults using platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for news. In 2024, 52% of adults now use social media for news, a sharp increase from 47% the previous year.

TV’s Decline and Social Media’s Rise

The overall reach of TV news has been steadily decreasing in recent years, with a notable drop from 75% to 70% in just the last year. This trend is particularly pronounced among younger audiences, with 88% of 16–24-year-olds turning to online sources for news. Older generations, while still largely reliant on TV, are also making the shift, with 54% of people aged 55+ now accessing news online, compared to 45% in 2018.

Though online news is growing across age groups, social media plays a much larger role for younger people. Among 16-24s, 82% use social media for news, while only 28% of those 55 and older do the same. Instead, older audiences are more likely to visit dedicated news websites.

Despite the growing popularity of online news, TV remains the primary source for news among older adults, with 85% of people aged 55+ still turning to the medium, compared to just 49% of 16-24-year-olds.

The Role of Public Service Broadcasters

Public service broadcasters (PSBs) remain an important source of news, with BBC One continuing to be the most popular individual news provider. Across all BBC platforms—TV, radio, website, Sounds, and iPlayer—the corporation reaches 68% of UK adults. ITV1 is the second most-used source for news, although both BBC and ITV have seen declines in their news audiences over the past five years.

Notably, Channel 4 has fallen out of the top 10 most popular news sources for the first time, with usage dropping from 17% in 2019 to 14% in 2024. Meanwhile, four social media platforms—Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter)—now feature among the top ten sources of news. Among younger audiences (16–24-year-olds), social platforms dominate the top five news sources, including TikTok.

YouTube’s growing influence is especially noteworthy, as it is now on par with the Sky News Channel for news content consumption, surpassing both the BBC News Channel and BBC News Online.

Trust in Broadcast News Remains Strong

While the shift to online news is undeniable, traditional platforms such as TV and radio are still rated higher for accuracy, trustworthiness, and impartiality than online and social media sources.

Public service broadcasters are particularly valued for their trusted and accurate news, with nearly half of respondents (49%) considering it a key attribute of public service media (PSM). Ofcom’s research found that 63% of adults rate PSB news as both trusted and accurate.

Securing the Future of Trusted News

Recognizing this generational shift, Ofcom is launching a review to ensure high-quality news continues to be available across all platforms, including digital and social media. The review will assess how public service media (PSM) news is delivered online and explore potential regulatory or legislative changes to support PSM in the future.

Yih-Choung Teh, Ofcom’s Group Director for Strategy and Research, highlighted the importance of securing reliable news for future generations:

"Television has dominated people's news habits since the sixties, and it still commands really high trust. But we're witnessing a generational shift to online news, which is often seen as less reliable—together with growing fears about misinformation and deepfake content. Ofcom wants to secure high-quality news for the next generation, so we're kicking off a review of the public service media that help underpin the UK's democracy and public debate." said  Yih-Choung Teh. Ofcom Group Director, Strategy and Research.

The first phase of the review will focus on evaluating how well public service broadcasters have served UK audiences. The second phase will explore future strategies and possible regulatory adjustments to ensure trusted and accurate news remains accessible to all, regardless of the platform they choose.

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