Online News Officially Overtakes TV as the Most Popular Source in the U.K.

A new research by the Office of Communications (Ofcom) revealed that online news has overtaken TV news bulletins in the United Kingdom.

According to The Guardian, Ofcom performed its annual survey on news habits, and 71% of the population said they watch the news through online services, a 3% increase compared to the previous year. It’s a slightly higher percentage compared to the adult population who included using the television, which was 70%, but it is the first time online content surpasses television in the traditional survey. This phenomenon has been described as a “generational shift in the balance of news media.”

“Television has dominated people’s news habits since the 60s, and it still commands really high trust. But we’re witnessing a generational shift to online news, which is often seen as less reliable,” said Ofcom’s head of strategy and research, Yih-Choung Teh.

Social media consumption also increased, 52% of adults in the UK noted that they use social media channels to get informed. Last year the percentage was 47%, and its growth has raised concern.

“It’s worrying that social media is being increasingly used as a news source. It’s not just a problem for journalists, it’s a problem for all of us. And once a fake story is out there, it’s almost impossible to correct. I know, I’ve tried. Good luck trying to get anything taken down from X,” wrote BBC journalist Fiona Bruce for the Radio Times.

The study considers a younger population as well. For teenagers between 12 to 15 years old, TikTok is the main news source, for those between 16 and 24 years old is Instagram the platform they use the most to learn news.

While journalists in the UK find find “worrying” that social media is the main news source, in countries like Venezuela where there is tightened control over media, social media has become the most reliable source.