Young People Abandon TV News for Online Sources

Strategic Insights -

Millions of young people have switched off traditional television news bulletins and turned to online sources for their news, according to a survey by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford. The shift highlights the challenges facing broadcasting companies such as CNN, MSNBC, and Sky News, and underscores the growing importance of social media platforms like Facebook. The survey found that in the US, the proportion of under-35s watching TV news bulletins in the past week dropped from 37% in 2013 to 24% in 2015.

Key Takeaways:

  • The proportion of under-35s watching TV news bulletins in the US dropped from 37% in 2013 to 24% in 2015.
  • The shift towards online news sources is most pronounced among young people, with 37% of under-35s in the US saying they prefer online news compared to 24% who watch TV news bulletins.
  • Facebook is the most popular social network for news in all countries surveyed, except in Japan where more respondents named YouTube.
  • Publishers' ability to make money online is threatened by three factors: the strength of intermediaries, low advertising rates, and the rise of ad-blocking software.
  • In the US, 47% of internet users have installed ad-blocking software on at least one device, while in the UK the figure is 39%.
  • The survey found that a significant proportion of young people are abandoning TV news completely, with 24% of under-35s in the US saying they watch no TV news at all.

Statistics:

  • 37% of under-35s in the US watched TV news bulletins in the past week in 2013.
  • 24% of under-35s in the US watched TV news bulletins in the past week in 2015.
  • The proportion of under-35s in the US preferring online news is 37%.
  • 47% of internet users in the US have installed ad-blocking software on at least one device.
  • 39% of internet users in the UK have installed ad-blocking software on at least one device.

Sources:

  • The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford
  • Henry Mance, Media Correspondent
  • The report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford is cited as the primary source for all information in this article.