For the first time on record, more Americans now turn to social media for news than to traditional television, according to the 2025 Digital News Report from Oxford University’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ). The nationwide survey shows that 54 % of U.S. adults sourced news from social and video platforms in the past week, edging out TV at 50 % and news websites/apps at 48 %.
RISJ researchers attribute the tipping-point to the explosive growth of creator-driven news on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram Reels, plus the declining reach of cable and broadcast outlets among under-35s. Influencers such as podcaster Joe Rogan now draw weekly news audiences that rival legacy networks, particularly among young men and politically right-leaning users.
The rise of platform-based news is not entirely new. A Pew Research Center fact-sheet released last autumn found that just over half of U.S. adults (54 %) “at least sometimes” get news on social media, and that figure climbs past 70 % for Gen Z users. Facebook and YouTube remain the most-used outlets, while TikTok is the fastest-growing.
Analysts say the migration away from television is accelerated by:
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Mobile-first habits: 86 % of Americans now access news on a smartphone, eclipsing TV ownership in many households.
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Cord-cutting economics: Pay-TV subscriptions fell below 50 % of U.S. homes in 2024, pushing viewers toward algorithm-driven feeds.
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Creator credibility (and controversy): Personality-led channels offer relatability but can also spread unverified claims, deepening concerns about misinformation and political polarization.
Nic Newman, lead author of the RISJ report, warns that “publisher influence is eroding as audiences pivot to short-form video and personality-driven commentary.” Traditional outlets, he notes, face the dual challenge of adapting content for social platforms while safeguarding journalistic standards.
Bottom line: The data confirm a watershed moment in U.S. media consumption. With social platforms now the primary gateway to news, publishers, advertisers and regulators must rethink engagement, revenue and trust in an era where the scroll has replaced the remote.