U.S. News Consumption Shifts as Social Media Surpasses Broadcast Media

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2025 — For several decades, all-powerful news networks in the US dominated the media industry, with spot news coverage as well as panel discussions and long-format reportage grabbing maximum eyeballs.

The thrill that live television news offered was unmatched, at times gaining record viewership that made one believe that the time for print and radio media was over.

The emergence of social media has completely changed the packaging and presentation of news as well as the manner in which it is consumed now.

As of 2025, 253 million people in the United States use social media, which means 4 in 5 internet users in the US are active on social media, as per Data Reportal.

The internet penetration followed by the subsequent proliferation of social media is a world-over phenomenon, which gets equally reflected in the US as well.

According to Data Reportal statistics, global trends have shown that 34.5 percent of users rely on social media for news, reflecting how important these platforms have become for staying informed in the digital world.

As many as 19.5 percent of users engage with social media to avoid missing out on events and trends, reflecting the common fear of missing out (FOMO) that drives much of our online activity.

In the American context, the popularity of social media and streaming platforms could be gauged from the fact that YouTube’s first exclusive NFL game earlier this week drew a sizable audience, coming in ahead of last year’s streaming-exclusive contest in the opening week of the season.

As per the streamer, 17.3 million people worldwide watched the Los Angeles Chargers’ win over the Kansas City Chiefs Friday in São Paulo, Brazil.

Most viewers were from the United States, totalling 16.2 million according to Nielsen figures that incorporate YouTube’s first-party data. The remaining 1.1 million viewers were outside the US, according to YouTube’s data. The US total also includes over-the-air broadcasts in the teams’ home markets.

Know What Makes Social Media a News Source

Social Media’s Grand Moment: Earlier this year, The Guardian, while referring to a comprehensive analysis of media consumption, revealed the rapid rise of “news influencers.” As per the report, social media is believed to have overtaken television as a source of news in the US for the first time.

The report said that in a historic moment experienced in US media, 54 percent of Americans said they received news from social media, according to the research carried out after President Trump’s second inauguration. Half of the audience said they sourced news from the once all-powerful TV networks.

Amplifying Populist Politics: According to a study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, which surveyed almost 100,000 news consumers worldwide, the rapid global shift towards social media and video platforms was quite evident. The study reveals a further diminishing of the influence of traditional news organizations, with more people following podcasters, YouTubers, and TikTokers.

However, the authors cautioned that the social media news boom is a “free-for-all” medium, allowing populist politicians to avoid the scrutiny of the traditional media in favor of new, online networks.

The impact of news influencers, who use their personal brand to garner more online following, is growing, led by the phenomenal impact of the podcaster Joe Rogan during last year’s US presidential election.

One-fifth (22 percent) of those surveyed in the US said at least once they viewed news or commentary from Rogan on their social media feeds in the week after the presidential inauguration. This sample of respondents included a number of young men, a group traditional media struggles to reach.

How Has News Consumption Changed Worldwide

According to the analysis, Elon Musk’s X has seen a major shift to the right among its users.

Musk’s takeover of the site has been followed by a 50 percent increase among right-leaning users, from 10 percent of the group in 2021 to 15 percent this year. There has been a corresponding fall in left-leaning users, from 17 percent to 14 percent over the same period, as liberals have abandoned the platform, reported The Guardian.

The findings confirm the huge changes taking place in news consumption worldwide. “The rise of social video and personality-driven news represents another significant challenge for traditional publishers that are struggling to adapt their content and tone to these very different environments,” Nic Newman, a founding member of the BBC News website and the study’s lead author, told The Guardian.

“Online video may be a good way to engage younger audiences, but there is very little commercial upside for publishers, with most news consumption taking place via platforms rather than owned and operated news websites. Publishers also face a loss of influence, with populist politicians increasingly looking to bypass scrutiny by working with sympathetic influencers instead.”

As many as 19.5% of users engage with social media to avoid missing out on events and trends, reflecting the common fear of missing out (FOMO) that drives much of online activity.

Inputs from Saqib Malik

Editing by David Ryder