Reuters Digital News Report 2026: Key takeaways for newsrooms and journalists’ unions

The fifteenth edition of the Reuters Digital News Report, which analyses news consumption practices across 48 countries and six continents, was published on 16 June. In light of the report's main findings, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) underlines current challenges affecting journalists' rights and the public's right to information.

Credit: Canva.

The annual Reuters Digital News Report, produced by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ), looks at how the public perceives the news sector and accesses information. This year's report worryingly points out that trust in the news is at a record low, with only 37% of people trusting the news. News avoidance, meanwhile, has risen by 2% compared to 2025, reaching 42%. Both these figures - and the topics discussed below - offer food for thought, which newsrooms and journalists' unions should seriously consider in order to respond to this changing media landscape.

Preference for social media and video platforms

One of the most striking findings in the RISJ report is that social media and video platforms have overtaken all other channels, becoming the main source of news for the first time. Indeed, 54% of the global sample group used these channels to access news - compared to 52% for television, 51% for news websites and apps, 21% for radio, and 16% for print media. This shift accompanies the increasingly significant role played by content creators.

While social media and video channels facilitate access to information, the IFJ emphasises that the reshaping of the news consumption landscape also reshapes the pressures on journalists and media workers, not to mention violations of press freedom. These negative impacts can be observed in various ways, such as authorities implementing digital censorship in collaboration with platforms. Or journalists facing legal proceedings for their activities under 'cybercrime' legislation and/or being subjected to digital harassment.

The IFJ also emphasises the need for news media to insist on and inform their audience about the ethical journalism values that these media are supposed to abide by. Because news media should reinforce trust in news and promote quality journalism.

Rising use of AI chatbots

Another key takeaway is the growing use of AI chatbots for news consumption - a trend that notably increased from 7% to 10% in the space of a year. Among people under 35, this figure rose to 16%. According to the RISJ study, only 1% of the respondents rely on AI as their sole news source, but those with an interest in the news use AI the most.

The IFJ reiterates that unregulated implementation of AI tools for news consumption poses the risk of financial constraints for newsrooms. This trend threatens journalists' jobs, quality journalism, and authors' rights protection. Another key consequence is fewer people directly visiting news websites. Only 4% of respondents said they always or often click through to the original sources of news.

Support for public service broadcasting remains strong

The Reuters report notes that 37% of respondents from 26 predominantly European countries have a positive view of public service broadcasting, whereas 22% have a negative view. In most countries where the negative view is higher than the positive one, this is typically due to concerns about political independence.

This strong support across Europe for independent public broadcasting highlights the importance of safeguarding strong and independent public service media. These media particularly rely on sufficient funding and independent governance free from government influence, at a time when public service broadcasting is being attacked across the continent.

Download the full report here.