In the last decade, the way people get informed has changed radically. Traditional consumption—printed newspapers and television news—continues to decline compared to digital sources. Recent studies show that more and more people prefer listening to a podcast over reading a newspaper, and that social media already surpasses TV as the main source of news. In fact, the Digital News Report 2025 reveals that the printed press and television are losing ground while social media and video platforms gain popularity. Six social networks reach over 10% of weekly informational use (led by Facebook 36% and YouTube 30%). In parallel, the consumption of informational video on social networks grew from 52% to 65% of the global audience between 2020 and 2025. These figures reflect the growing portability and personalization of journalism: users access news at any time, via mobile apps, short videos, and even AI chatbots (12% of those under 35 already use chatbots as an informational source).

Changes by Generation

The generational gap in news consumption is increasingly marked. Young people (especially Gen Z and millennials) consume news mainly on social networks and digital platforms. For example, 44% of users aged 18 to 24 state that their main source of news is social networks or video platforms. In Spain, 39% of those under 35 cite social networks as their main source of information. This group dedicates more daily time to multiple social networks (5.1 on average) and quickly adopts new formats: they use TikTok (23%) and X, formerly Twitter (28%), for news. In contrast, older adults maintain a greater affinity for traditional media: in Spain, 56% still consult television for news. Additionally, young people report more news fatigue: 44% of those under 34 habitually avoid the news (compared to 35% of older adults)l. This suggests that news overload on social networks generates rejection among those who are least attracted to information.

Emerging Informational Formats

Short-form video is dominating social networks, especially among young audiences. TikTok and Instagram Reels offer brief, dynamic clips that summarize news, analysis, or interviews in a highly visual and agile way. The algorithms of these platforms prioritize audiovisual content, which has led media and creators to produce news adapted to vertical and concise formats. Simultaneously, informational podcasts have gained millions of listeners due to their accessibility: they allow listening to analysis and interviews on the go (for example, while traveling or exercising). According to the Reuters Institute, about a third of the global audience listens to podcasts at least monthly, and in the United States, 15% tune in to news podcasts weekly, with greater reach among young and highly educated audiences. Additionally, personalized newsletters (email bulletins) are consolidating as a direct and trusted channel. For example, the newspaper El País exceeded 1 million newsletter subscribers (a 67% growth since 2022), demonstrating audience interest in receiving curated content. Studies show that subscribing to newsletters improves news reading habits and prolongs reader loyalty, as these bulletins allow the media to establish a direct link with the reader outside of third-party algorithms.

• Podcast and audio: The audio format—especially the podcast—continues to rise. Its on-demand nature adapts to the current pace of life and wins over listeners who seek to get informed while performing other tasks. The rise of platforms like Spotify favors this trend, consolidating audio as a key informational channel.
• Personalized newsletters: Digital bulletins allow selected information to be delivered directly to users' inboxes. By segmenting by interests (economics, sports, technology, etc.), these bulletins reinforce audience loyalty. Their recent growth indicates that the public values specialized and exclusive journalistic content that arrives without external platform filters.

Key Platforms for Getting Informed

The channels where the audience gets news have changed. Among the emerging platforms, the following stand out:

• TikTok: It is the fastest-growing network for news consumption. In 2025, TikTok increased its informational use by 4 percentage points (17% of global users use it for news). Its ultra-short video format and recommendation algorithm capture the attention of Gen Z and millennials.
• Instagram: Maintains high penetration (19% of users use it for news) thanks to its Stories and Reels. Many media outlets and journalists are adapting content into vertical and visual video, as well as graphic summaries (infographics) for this network.
• YouTube: Remains the leader in online video, with 30% of global users consuming news on this platform. It combines long formats (analysis programs, reports) with 'Shorts' (brief videos), extending reach to diverse audiences. YouTube is also a key stage for informational creators and influencers.
• Spotify: Although not originally a content platform, it has become the main podcast platform. The average daily time users spend on Spotify (over 1 hour daily in Spain) indicates its relevance. Media outlets use Spotify to distribute their news and in-depth podcasts, reaching listeners who prefer audio to reading.

The role of messaging apps is also notable: in Spain, WhatsApp is the most used social network (75%), and 27% use it for news, surpassing Facebook for the first time. This illustrates how users share headlines and links directly among contacts. However, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and audio platforms are the ways to attract new audiences, especially young people.

Implications for Media and Strategies

The described changes require media outlets to strategically adapt their editorial, distribution, and product models:

• Knowledge and segmentation: It is key to analyze consumption trends to define the editorial strategy. Given that the audience is fragmented across multiple platforms, media outlets must know the preferences and habits of their different publics. This approach allows them to decide which formats, topics, and tones to prioritize according to the demographics and channels of each segment.
• Multiplatform content: Media outlets must produce news in native digital formats. This includes creating short videos oriented toward TikTok and Instagram, as well as more extensive thematic audio podcasts. For example, informational podcasts and special audio editions of reports already exist, catering to those who prefer listening over reading. The conversion of traditional journalistic pieces into multimedia clips or audio episodes is already a growing practice.
• Active presence on key channels: It is essential to maintain own profiles on the platforms the audience uses. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, and even WhatsApp must be part of the distribution strategy. Creating and adapting content for each algorithm (e.g., vertical videos for TikTok, eye-catching clips on Instagram) maximizes reach. As a strategic note, a media outlet must consider that TikTok's informational use rose 4 points in 2025, so allocating resources to this network (from official accounts to alliances with creators) is necessary to avoid being left out of the emerging news circuit.
• Direct relationship with the audience: To counteract reliance on third parties and retain readers, it is advisable to promote owned channels like newsletters and mobile applications. The success of specialized bulletins (e.g., El País with +1M subscribers) demonstrates their effectiveness. These channels allow sending exclusive and personalized content based on user interests. Research indicates that subscribing to newsletters improves informational habits and prolongs the user's connection with the medium. Furthermore, they have the advantage of reducing the risk of disappearing due to changes in social network algorithms.
• Personalization and analytics: Leveraging user data to offer relevant news strengthens engagement. Personalization—whether through AI-based recommendations or segmented notifications—can improve the experience, always with editorial oversight. That is, AI can help adapt the news flow to each profile while maintaining quality controls. The public views useful AI functions favorably (automatic summaries, translations) but still trusts the verification of recognized media more.
• Emphasis on credibility: In an environment where a lot of misinformation circulates, media outlets must reinforce their brand as reliable sources. Although general trust in news hovers around 40%, users continue to consider traditional media (and established digital media) as the main guarantors of veracity. Therefore, it is essential to highlight the transparency of informational processes, journalistic ethics, and editorial quality seals. Verified and well-contextualized news will be a differential value against information overload.

In conclusion, news consumption has become more digital, fragmented, and personalized. Media outlets that integrate these changes into their strategies—adopting multimedia formats, diversifying channels, and strengthening the bond with the audience—will be better positioned to remain relevant. As the Reuters report points out, adjusting the editorial strategy to these trends is key to “sharpening the focus” on an increasingly dispersed audience. Media and editorial technology managers must, therefore, innovate in their products (videos, podcasts, newsletters) and distribution models to maintain user attention in this new informational ecosystem.