Digital News Report 2026. What you need to know

The Digital News Report 2026 reveals a significant "platformization" of news, characterized by a long-term drift from traditional websites and apps toward social media and video networks like TikTok and Instagram. While overall interest in news has declined by 15 percentage points over five years, consumption remains volatile, with younger audiences predominantly accessing news through third-party platforms. AI chatbots are increasingly used for news, though they currently serve a supplementary, niche role for highly engaged consumers. Trust in news has hit a record low, with a statistically significant decline across 29 of 48 surveyed markets. Despite this, individual news brand trust remains more resilient than general news trust. Furthermore, news creators are emerging as a complementary force rather than a replacement for legacy media, and payment models for digital news remain stagnant at 17% globally, highlighting a persistent challenge for commercial sustainability.