How the news power shift is impacting corporate communications

The 2025 Reuters Institute Digital News Report tells the story of a fundamental shift in news habits, with social platforms and influencers overtaking traditional media. The annual Digital News Report 2025 from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is a bellwether for the media and communications industries.

This year’s findings confirm what many communicators already sense: audiences, especially younger ones, have shifted decisively toward social media and video platforms as their primary sources of news. The implications are both profound and urgent for those working in public relations and corporate communications.

Traditional media’s fading footprint

Across 48 global markets, the data reveals a sustained decline in engagement with television, print and even news websites. In the US, for the first time, more people get their news from social and video platforms (54%) than from TV (50%) or websites/apps (48%).

This is not a cyclical blip. It’s a structural change. Even politically charged moments, such as the 2024 US election, drew attention not to mainstream newsrooms but to digital personalities and creators.

This shift doesn’t signal the end of journalism, but it does point to the diminishing gatekeeping role of institutional media. Today, many people are more likely to hear about current events from Joe Rogan, Hugo Travers, or a TikTok creator than from the BBC or CNN.

Creators, not correspondents

Public relations practitioners now operate in a fragmented, personality-driven landscape. The Digital News Report finds that online influencers are not only popular but increasingly viewed as trustworthy, especially among younger audiences. Yet these voices often exist outside the norms of editorial accountability and fact-checking that govern traditional journalism.

In countries like France and Thailand, creators like Hugo Décrypte command as much attention from under-35s as traditional news outlets. In the US, one in five people accessed news through Joe Rogan in the week following the presidential inauguration. This is the new mainstream media.

Video leads storytelling

Across all markets, video consumption has surged: 75% of people now report watching video news. 65% regularly consume it on social media platforms. Podcasts are also growing, particularly among younger, educated listeners, with filmed versions blurring the lines between talk shows and streaming content.

This means adopting a format-first mindset. If your content isn’t optimised for short-form video or snackable audio, it’s increasingly likely to be ignored. And if your spokespeople can’t work credibly in these formats, they may not be fit for the future media environment.

Trust, AI and the case for constructive content

While influencers gain traction, audiences continue to prioritise accuracy and trust. These are the qualities they associate with established brands. AI-generated news is on the rise, especially among young people under 25, but most respondents believe it makes news faster yet less trustworthy.

This presents an opportunity: organisations that combine the reach of social platforms with the credibility of verified, well-produced content can occupy a powerful space. However, that requires consistency, transparency and strategic clarity. These qualities are not often found in viral content.

A rising number of people are actively tuning out the news altogether. Globally, 40% say they “sometimes or often avoid the news,” and in the UK, that figure rises to 46%. Among younger audiences, nearly four in ten cite the emotional toll of news as their main reason for opting out.

As a result, there’s a growing appetite for constructive and solutions-focused storytelling. Audiences want to feel informed, but not overwhelmed. They want to see not just what’s broken, but what’s being fixed. Communicators should prioritise highlighting progress, resilience and impact as key components of their media strategy.

What should communicators do now?

Here are five priorities to help your team adapt:

1. Map your media influence beyond traditional titles
   Track the creators, podcasters and niche influencers who matter to your audiences. Think ecosystem, not just outlet.

2. Invest in video and audio-first content
   Move beyond polished corporate reels. Create explainer videos, reactive commentary, and filmed interviews that play natively on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.

3. Train your spokespeople to work in new formats
   The best corporate voices are becoming influencers in their own right. Equip them to engage on camera, on mic and on message.

4. Lead with hope, not just headlines
   Audiences are craving stories of progress, solutions and resilience. Make room in your content mix for optimism and impact.

5. Stay ahead on AI, misinformation and ethics
   Media literacy, content verification and platform transparency are part of the comms mandate.

The media map has changed. Our audiences are scrolling, swiping and listening elsewhere. We need to engage them with content that’s credible, compelling and fit for the feeds that matter.

Reference

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. (2025). Digital News Report 2025.