A Shifting News Landscape: Facebook's Exit, Decreased Engagement, and the Rise of Influencers
Facebook's declining presence in the news landscape (partially brought on by its own threats in response to free market legislation) aligns with a shift toward platforms like TikTok and YouTube, as well as a global decrease in engagement with news articles—commenting on, sharing, and posting articles—according to the 2023 Digital News Report published by Oxford's Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ). The report, based on a survey of over 90,000 individuals across 46 countries, highlights several key findings that shed light on the evolving patterns of news consumption.
One notable trend identified by RISJ is the decline in online news participation: The survey reveals that only 22 percent of respondents in the examined markets actively participate in online news discussions by sharing or commenting, while 47 percent refrain from participating altogether. The report also indicates a decrease in interest in news overall, with 48 percent of respondents expressing significant interest in news compared to 63 percent in 2017.
Furthermore, the report explores the reasons behind news avoidance, finding that 36 percent of respondents deliberately avoid news either frequently or occasionally. News avoidance significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. RISJ categorizes the avoidance behavior into two groups: “broad-brush” or periodic avoidance, where individuals turn off the radio or scroll past news on social media; and more specific avoidance, such as checking news less frequently or avoiding certain topics, such as COVID-19. During April 2020, 75 percent of those surveyed said that they directly avoided news surrounding COVID-19. “Turning my back on news is the only way I feel I can cope sometimes,” a 42-year-old U.K. woman said. “I have to consciously make the effort to turn away for the sake of my own mental health.”
The motivations for news avoidance differ across regions. In Eastern Europe, news about the war in Ukraine is often avoided as a means to manage time exposed to the news or to protect mental well-being from the distressing nature of the war. In the United States, “we find that consumers are more likely to avoid subjects such as national politics and social justice, where debates over issues such as gender, sexuality, and race have become highly politicized,” the study said.
Publishers face a conundrum when it comes to catering to the preferences of news avoiders. The report suggests that avoiders are less interested in the latest developments of major news stories but show relative interest in positive or solutions-based news. However, it is important to note that audience preferences for positive news are not explicitly tied to publisher definitions of terms like "positive" or "solutions journalism." Instead, it reflects a desire for news that is less depressing and easier to understand.
The report also delves into subscription trends. Upward trajectories for paid subscriptions have plateaued: In 20 countries surveyed, 17 percent of people have paid for online news, similar to 2022 numbers. However, those who subscribe to more than one outlet account for lots of subscriptions across the board, with 56 percent of paying subscribers in the United States having two or more subscriptions. 8 percent of U.S. respondents “pay for a newsletter written by an individual journalist or influencer and 5% pay for a podcaster or YouTuber.”
Optimistically, trust in the news has improved among Americans. In 2022, only 26 percent of Americans agreed with the statement "I think you can trust most news most of the time," the lowest among the countries surveyed. However, this year, 32 percent of Americans agreed with the sentiment—the same level as in 2015. “These scores are aggregates of subjective opinions, not an objective measure of underlying trustworthiness, and changes are often at least as much about political and social factors as narrowly about the news itself,” the Institute clarified.
The report concludes by highlighting the preference for influencers over traditional publishers as the starting point for news consumption. Only 22 percent of respondents “say they prefer to start their news journeys with a website or app,”a staggering 10-percentage point decrease since 2018. Newer and rising social media platforms, particularly TikTok and Instagram, have become the primary sources of news for many.
News organizations have quite a challenge in order to meet these trends and positively exploit them. Most journalism outlets are worried about revenue, and do not consider social media outlets as possible sources. However, consumption rates indicate that this is an outdated fear—and hopefully, more independent outlets can rise to the occasion to cater to their communities over TikTok and associated acts.
