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People get their news from a mix of digital devices, social and video platforms, news websites and apps, search engines, television, podcasts, newsletters, radio and print. In the United States, digital devices are the broadest access layer; globally, social media and video networks have moved ahead of television and publisher-owned websites as a weekly route to news. But age, country, politics, topic, trust and personal habits all change the answer.
People get their news from a mix of digital devices, social and video platforms, news websites and apps, search engines, television, podcasts, newsletters, radio and print. The leading pattern is digital-first and increasingly platform-mediated: in the United States, 86% of adults get news from a smartphone, computer or tablet at least sometimes. Globally, social media and video networks have moved ahead of television and publisher-owned websites as a weekly route to news.
That does not mean television is dead, newspapers are irrelevant or everyone receives news from TikTok. Age, country, politics, topic, trust and personal habits all change the answer. A person may discover a headline in a social feed, watch the report on YouTube, search for the original story, read a local newspaper’s article and subscribe to a newsletter for follow-up.
The main places people get their news
1. Smartphones, computers and tablets
Digital devices are the broadest news-access layer in the United States. They are not a single editorial source; they are the equipment people use to reach websites, apps, search results, social feeds, online video, podcasts, newsletters and AI chatbots.
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Pew Research Center’s 2025 U.S. platform survey found that 86% of adults get news through a smartphone, computer or tablet at least sometimes, including 56% who do so often. That makes digital devices more widely used than any individual traditional platform category measured in the survey. Among adults aged 18 to 29, 93% got news from digital devices at least sometimes, compared with 71% of adults aged 65 and older.
The important distinction is between the device and the pathway. Two people may both use a phone for news, while one opens a newspaper’s app, another scrolls through Instagram, and a third searches for an official government statement.
2. Social media and video platforms
Social media is now one of the most important ways people encounter news, particularly when they are not deliberately looking for it. In Pew’s 2025 U.S. survey, 53% of adults said they got news from social media at least sometimes. Facebook and YouTube were the leading platforms for regular news use, at 38% and 35% of U.S. adults respectively. Instagram and TikTok each reached 20%, followed by X at 12%, Reddit at 9%, Nextdoor at 6% and WhatsApp at 5%.
Those population figures hide a different pattern among people who use each platform. Pew found that 57% of X users and 55% of Truth Social users regularly got news there. Just over half of TikTok users, 55%, said the same, a substantial increase from 2020. In other words, a platform can be used by a relatively small share of the total population while still being a major news source for its own users.
Reuters Institute’s 2026 Digital News Report found that 56% of U.S. respondents had used social media for news during the previous week, compared with 45% for television and 45% for news websites or apps. Globally, 54% of respondents used social media and video networks for news during the previous week, ahead of television at 52% and news websites or apps at 51%. Including AI chatbots in the broader third-party pathway raised that combined figure to 56%.
These figures are weekly survey-reach measures, not measurements of time spent, audience size, advertising revenue or unduplicated users. The percentages should not be added together: one person can use television, YouTube, a newspaper app and a podcast in the same week.
Social platforms also do not all function as news destinations. Reuters found that people commonly encounter news incidentally on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok while using those services for other reasons. X and YouTube are more likely to be viewed by users as useful ways to get news. Globally, 27% of respondents encountered news from news influencers or creators during the previous week. Among 18-to-24-year-olds, social media, video networks and AI chatbots together were the main way of getting news for 52% of respondents.
News organizations are part of this shift, but they no longer control every route through which their journalism is consumed. A broadcaster’s report may be watched as a short clip, a newspaper investigation may be summarized in a creator’s video, and a publisher’s article may be encountered through a recommendation rather than a visit to the publisher’s homepage.
3. News websites and apps
News websites and apps remain important for people who deliberately follow current events, prefer established news brands or want more detail than a social post provides. Pew found that about one-fifth of U.S. adults often get news from news websites or apps, and 21% say they prefer these publisher-owned digital routes over other digital pathways.
Direct publisher access is relatively stronger among highly engaged news users and some older or more educated audiences, but it is no longer the leading digital route for every group. Reuters reported that social and video platforms were more popular than publisher-owned news websites and apps in 30 of the 48 markets studied.
This decline in direct visits does not mean established news organizations have disappeared. Their reporting is distributed through search engines, social platforms, YouTube, newsletters, aggregators, podcasts and connected televisions. A person can therefore consume journalism from a familiar news organization without ever opening its own website.
4. Television
Television remains a major source of news, especially for older adults, local coverage and major breaking events. Pew found that 64% of U.S. adults get news from television at least sometimes, including 32% who do so often. Television use rises sharply with age: 87% of adults aged 65 and older get news from TV at least sometimes, compared with 47% of adults aged 18 to 29.
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The long-term direction is nevertheless downward in many markets. Reuters identifies television, radio and print as part of an offline news category that has experienced substantial declines over the past decade. Its 2026 U.S. report also recorded a continuing three-year decline in television news consumption.
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Television news is increasingly delivered through internet-connected devices rather than only through a traditional broadcast schedule. Across 27 markets, 27% of news audiences watched on-demand news on smart televisions through third-party apps such as YouTube and other services. The boundary between television and online video is therefore becoming less clear.
5. Search engines
Search engines act as a bridge between a question and a news source. People use them to find the latest reporting, locate an original document, compare coverage or look for an explanation of an unfamiliar event. Pew identifies search engines as one of the most common digital pathways, with about one-fifth of U.S. adults often getting news this way.
Search is also a verification tool. Reuters’ 2025 research found that 33% of respondents globally would use a search engine to check whether information was false, misleading or fake. In practice, searching often leads people toward a trusted news organization, an official source or a fact-checking service rather than providing certainty by itself.
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A search result is a starting point, not proof. Headlines can be incomplete, old stories can resurface during new events, and highly ranked pages are not automatically the most accurate sources. Checking the date, author, original source and supporting evidence remains necessary.
6. Podcasts
Podcasts are a smaller but influential news source. They appeal to listeners who want explanation, analysis, long-form interviews, narrative reporting or personality-driven commentary. Pew found that about one in ten U.S. adults often get news from podcasts. Reuters reported global news-podcast use at 11% in 2026.
Podcast figures are increasingly difficult to separate from online-video figures because many podcasts are now recorded and distributed as video. Someone may listen during a commute, watch the same episode on YouTube or encounter a short excerpt on social media. That makes podcasts both a distinct format and part of the larger video ecosystem.
7. Email newsletters
Newsletters are a meaningful niche rather than the dominant way people follow the news. Pew’s February 2026 report, based on an August 2025 survey of 5,153 U.S. adults, found that 30% of Americans get news from email newsletters at least sometimes: 6% do so often and 24% sometimes.
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Newsletters work best as a deliberate follow-up channel. A reader may discover a story elsewhere, then use a morning briefing, local newsletter or specialist email to keep track of the subject without repeatedly searching for it.
8. Radio
Radio remains a substantial secondary source in the United States. Pew found that 44% of adults get news from radio at least sometimes, including 11% who do so often.
Radio is useful during commutes, for local reporting and for audiences with established broadcast habits. It can also provide a continuous stream of updates when a person cannot watch a screen. Like television, however, radio belongs to the broader offline category that has declined in most markets over the past decade.
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Print is now a minority news source, but it has not vanished. Pew found that 25% of U.S. adults get news from printed newspapers or magazines at least sometimes, including 7% who do so often. Among adults aged 65 and older, 37% get news from print at least sometimes.
Printed publications remain particularly relevant to habitual newspaper readers, local reporting, specialist magazines and people who prefer a slower, curated format. Their long-term audience has declined substantially, but the need for local journalism and specialist coverage has not disappeared simply because the format is changing.
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10. AI chatbots
AI chatbots are an emerging but still small direct news pathway in the United States. Pew found that 2% of U.S. adults often get news from AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini, while fewer than 1% say they prefer chatbots for news.
Globally, Reuters found that younger people are more likely than older people to use chatbots as part of their news and verification habits. Adding AI chatbots to social and video pathways increased the combined weekly figure from 54% to 56% in the 2026 global report.
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How age changes where people get news
The clearest divide is between younger digital-first audiences and older television-oriented audiences. In the United States, 93% of adults aged 18 to 29 get news from digital devices at least sometimes, compared with 71% of adults aged 65 and older. Television shows the reverse pattern: 47% among 18-to-29-year-olds versus 87% among those 65 and older.
Reuters’ global data show a similar split. Social media, video networks and AI chatbots were the main news source for 52% of 18-to-24-year-olds, while television remained the main source for people aged 45 and above. News websites and apps were not the leading main source for any single global age group in that report.
These are population patterns, not rules about individuals. Older adults increasingly use digital sources, and younger adults still encounter television, local news and publisher brands, often through clips and posts distributed on digital platforms.
| Age pattern | What the research shows | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| Younger adults | More likely to use digital devices, social media, video and AI tools | News is often discovered inside platforms used for entertainment or conversation |
| Older adults | More likely to use television, radio and print, while still using digital devices | Scheduled broadcasts and familiar local or national brands remain important |
| All age groups | Use multiple routes and may encounter the same brand in several formats | No single platform percentage describes a person’s complete news diet |
Do people look for news, or simply come across it?
The major change is not only where news appears, but whether people intentionally seek it. Pew’s December 2025 survey found Americans almost evenly split: 50% mostly get news because they are looking for it, while 49% mostly happen to come across it. In 2019, the comparable split was 60% seeking news and 39% encountering it.
People are more likely to actively seek up-to-date or in-depth information about an issue. Opinions, humorous posts and short updates are more likely to be encountered incidentally. Notifications, recommendation systems, social feeds, conversations and video autoplay can expose someone to a major story without a deliberate visit to a news organization.
This explains why a person may say they do not follow the news while still seeing a large amount of political, economic, crime, sports or international coverage. Incidental exposure is not the same as informed understanding: a passing headline may create awareness, but depth usually requires an intentional second step.
Why politics affects the answer
News habits are fragmented by politics as well as technology. Pew’s March 2025 survey of 30 named news sources found that 57% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents regularly got news from Fox News, at least twice the share for any other source tested among Republicans.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDemocrats and Democratic-leaning independents reported a wider range of regular sources. The figures included CNN at 48%, NBC News at 47%, ABC News at 46%, CBS News at 39% and MSNBC at 33%.
These figures describe the political composition of each source’s audience. They do not, by themselves, classify a source’s content as liberal or conservative, and they do not show that every member of a political group uses only one outlet. People frequently combine sources, even when they have a strong preference for one.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Trust and the search for verification
Fragmented distribution has made trust more important and more contested. Reuters’ 2026 U.S. report recorded overall news trust at 25%, down five percentage points and the lowest level in its tracking series. Local television and regional or local newspapers remained the most trusted brands among those included in the survey.
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A trust score measures people’s perceptions; it is not an objective test of whether a source is accurate. A trusted brand can still make mistakes, and a little-known source can occasionally publish a correct report. Readers should treat trust as one signal alongside transparency, evidence, corrections, sourcing and corroboration.
When asked how they would check whether information was false, misleading or fake, Reuters’ 2025 global survey found that respondents chose trusted news outlets most often, at 38%, followed by official sources at 35%, search engines at 33% and fact-checkers at 25%. Social media was selected by 14%.
The practical lesson is simple: social platforms are powerful discovery tools, but important claims deserve a source-checking step. Look for the original reporting or document, check publication dates, compare independent coverage and distinguish a reported fact from a presenter’s opinion or a user’s interpretation.
Where people go for local news
Local news is a special case because people use different sources for different local needs. Reuters found that local television, newspapers and radio are viewed as the best sources for local politics, crime and traffic stories, and community notices.
Platforms and specialist apps are viewed as better for local activities, culture, transport, weather and buying or selling. A neighborhood group may be convenient for finding a lost pet or a community event, while a local newsroom may be better equipped to investigate a city decision or verify a claim about public safety.
The decline of local newspapers therefore does not mean local information has become unimportant. Instead, functions have migrated to different providers. Platforms often win on convenience and immediacy, while local media retain advantages in reporting, accountability and civic information.
What the overall pattern means
- Digital devices are the dominant access layer in the United States. Most people use a phone, computer or tablet for at least some of their news.
- Social and video platforms increasingly serve as the front door. They are especially important globally and among younger audiences.
- Television still matters. It remains strong among older adults and during major breaking events, even as its long-term reach declines.
- Publisher websites and apps have not disappeared. They remain important destinations for depth, established reporting and deliberate news use, while their journalism is also distributed elsewhere.
- Search, podcasts and newsletters fill specialized roles. Search helps people find and verify information; podcasts provide explanation and analysis; newsletters support recurring, curated follow-up.
- Radio and print remain useful to particular audiences. Their overall reach is smaller than digital access, but they continue to serve local, habitual and specialist needs.
- AI chatbots are still a minor direct source. Their role is growing among some younger users, but important claims should be checked against identifiable primary or trusted sources.
- One news diet can contain many platforms. Percentages measure overlapping behaviors, not mutually exclusive audience groups.
How the research should be read
The U.S. Pew figures come primarily from nationally representative adult surveys conducted August 18–24, 2025. The December 2025 Pew-Knight survey covered more than 3,500 U.S. adults. The newsletter findings came from Pew’s February 2026 report, based on an August 2025 survey of 5,153 U.S. adults.
Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report uses online surveys designed to be as representative of national populations as possible across 48 markets. It measures self-reported use during the previous week. It does not measure passive exposure, total time spent, audience ratings, market share or unduplicated reach.
The U.S. and global figures should not be treated as one single ranking. They come from different studies, use different questions and cover different populations. Their value is in showing the direction of the overall change: news is increasingly encountered through digital platforms, but people still rely on a layered combination of sources for depth, local information, routine updates and verification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is social media the most popular place to get news?
In the United States, digital devices are the most widely used access layer: 86% of adults get news from a smartphone, computer or tablet at least sometimes. In Reuters Institute’s 2026 U.S. weekly-reach data, social media led the named source categories at 56%, ahead of television and news websites or apps at 45% each. These measures overlap and should not be added together.
Do people still get news from television?
Yes. Television remains especially important among older adults and during major breaking events. Pew found that 87% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older get news from television at least sometimes, compared with 47% of adults aged 18 to 29. Television use is declining over time in many markets, but it remains a significant source.
Do people seek out news or just come across it?
Both. Pew found that 50% of Americans mostly get news because they are looking for it, while 49% mostly happen to come across it. People are more likely to actively seek in-depth or up-to-date information, while headlines, opinions and humorous posts are often encountered incidentally in feeds, recommendations or conversations.
How do people check whether news is false or misleading?
People most often use trusted news outlets, official sources, search engines and fact-checkers to check questionable information. Social media can help reveal a claim, but a post or video should not be treated as verification by itself. Check the date, original source, evidence and independent corroboration.
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Bottom line: People get news wherever they already spend attention. Phones and other digital devices provide the broadest access, while social and video platforms increasingly introduce people to stories. Television remains central for older audiences and major events; websites, search, podcasts, newsletters, radio and print serve narrower but important roles. The most accurate answer is not one platform but a changing, overlapping news diet shaped by age, topic, politics, geography and trust.
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