po polsku
illustration: DALL-EWeb users shift from classic social networks to video platforms. Nic Newman and the Reuters Institute team state this in the latest "Digital News Report 2025". Facebook still leads for news reach, edging past YouTube. Yet TikTok grabs momentum fastest. In Thailand, almost half of respondents (49%) now follow news there. That figure is up ten points in a year.
In practice, this signals the rapid ageing of traditional text formats. Publishers that once banked on long reads must now serve vertical video, short clips and live streams to hold the eye. Newsrooms in Mexico and the Philippines already reshuffle teams and schedules because the TikTok algorithm rewards frequency.
- 36% use Facebook for news
- 30% choose YouTube for the same purpose
- 16% worldwide take news from TikTok
The rise of short forms sparks a battle for seconds of focus. The viewer scans the screen for a headline that grabs in the first two sentences. Journalists adapt, recording punchy intros that give the number, location and main actor at once. Nic Newman’s analysis shows that average watch time for news shorts rose by 27% year on year.
See video: 7 facts about news on social media
Influencers. New newsroom old problem
Newsrooms once chose the front-page topics. Now online creators come first. In the United States, 22% said they listened to Joe Rogan in the week after the president’s inauguration. In France, Hugo Travers ("HugoDécrypte") draws the same share of viewers under 35. Popularity brings power. Audiences say that influencers rival big networks in shaping debate.
| Creator / Country | Weekly reach | Main platform |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Rogan / USA | 22% online viewers | Podcast + YouTube |
| Hugo Travers / France | 22% viewers < 35 yrs | YouTube + TikTok |
| Gustavo Gayer / Brazil | 1.9 m subscriptions | YouTube |
| Dhruv Rathee / India | 19 m subscriptions | YouTube |
| BeerBiceps / India | 6.5 m subscriptions | YouTube |
Respondents also name online creators as the top potential source of misinformation. As many as 47% see them as the main threat alongside politicians. Experts note that an influencer enjoys a ‘parasocial’ bond with viewers. They talk directly, answer comments and the algorithm pushes the video to like-minded users. The result is content that skips the old newsroom filter and fact-checking.
Newsrooms respond by inviting star creators to debates or asking them to cross-post verified content. The British BBC runs a TikTok duet series where a journalist answers an influencer’s comments, correcting rumours. "Le Monde" recruited famous economic YouTubers to explain inflation in an ‘explain like I’m five’ style. The report’s authors say such alliances can limit the reach of false stories if both sides stay clear about sources.
Video format takes over news
Video is not only growing. It already dominates. The share of social video in news use jumped from 52% in 2020 to 65% in 2025. In the United States, weekly viewing of video news rose from 55% to 72% in just four years. Most of that use, 61%, happens on social platforms rather than publisher sites.
- 52% → 65% social video share in 2020-2025
- 55% → 72% Americans watch video news weekly
- 61% viewers pick platforms, 29% publisher sites
- 67% → 75% growth in any video news viewing worldwide
Data show that text is fast losing its edge even in reading-strong nations such as Germany or the United Kingdom. Younger audiences would rather swipe a screen than scan columns. "Digital News Report 2025" advises newsrooms to move budget from page layout to editing. It also urges them to place vertical video on their own sites.
The "New York Times" shows the payoff. Adding a vertical video carousel on the home page raised average time on site by 18%, and paywall clicks held steady. "The Economist" saw a similar effect after placing thirty second reporter clips above classic leads. Nic Newman notes that viewers love short form yet still return for depth when a video signals the scale of an issue.
Digital News Report 2025 was produced through cooperation between the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and YouGov. The survey covered 94 943 internet users in 47 countries, interviewed online in January to February 2025. Results were weighted to reflect the online population in each country. The full report is free on the Reuters Institute site.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
New articles in section Media industry
AI changes the game. A new face of internet search
KFi
Half of consumers in the US already use AI-powered search. By 2028, purchase decisions worth $750 billion will be made through AI. These findings come from McKinsey’s report "Winning in the age of AI search".
How to silence fake news? Young Latinos support internet censorship
Krzysztof Fiedorek
In Brazil, a court shut down platform X, cutting off 40 million users. In Colombia, 70% of citizens want information control, and in Chile, 75% of young people support censoring fake news. Is information security replacing freedom of speech as a new trend? [STUDY]
Communication gap. Is anyone listening to Polish women?
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Brands claim they understand women. Media say they speak their language. Meanwhile the report "Polki 2025" shows that most messages still miss the mark. Women do not want empty slogans. They expect a dialogue that truly relates to them.
See articles on a similar topic:
Journalism and Technology. How Indian Newspapers Fight to Survive
KFi
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the transformation of India's press industry. Traditional print media, forced to fight for survival, adopted modern technologies ranging from data analysis to artificial intelligence. How do journalists adapt to new roles, and how do media redefine their future in the digital age? Researchers from the Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication have explored these questions.
How the Media Talk (or Stay Silent) About Climate. Reuters Institute Report
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Although climate change is becoming increasingly noticeable worldwide, the media have failed to maintain growing interest in the topic. The report "Climate Change and News Audiences 2024" shows that audience engagement with climate topics has remained almost unchanged for several years.
Trust in Public Media in Europe. Report by European Broadcasting Union
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Public media in Europe play a significant role in fostering trust and supporting democracy. The EBU 2024 report examines leaders, major challenges, and the impact of media on society. Polish, Hungarian, and Greek media, with results far below the average, face a crucial question: can trust be rebuilt?
Television 2025. Report by the European Broadcasting Union
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Europeans are watching less and less television. In 2024, the average viewing time was 3 hours and 13 minutes per day. Only 54% of young people had any contact with TV, and public broadcasters held a 23% share. Television is losing relevance, especially among the youngest viewers.
