Breaking Down the Impact of Podcasters, AI, and Social Media in U.S. News Consumption: A Shift Away from Traditional Media

A significant shift in how Americans consume news has been documented in the latest Digital News Report 2025 from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, revealing a growing trend toward social media, video networks, and AI chatbots as the primary sources for news. This marks a historic change in news consumption, particularly among younger generations, who are increasingly bypassing traditional TV and news websites. The rise of online personalities like podcasters and influencers, coupled with AI-driven platforms, is challenging traditional media outlets, which have been the primary gatekeepers of information for decades.

A New Era: Social Media and Podcasters Overtake Traditional Media

In an eye-opening revelation, the report shows that more Americans now turn to social media and video platforms for news than traditional sources like TV and news websites. The shift occurred in the week following the January 2025 U.S. presidential inauguration, a time when political discourse was at its peak. This marks the first time that social and video networks have surpassed traditional news outlets as the main source of information for the American public.

Podcasters like Joe Rogan and former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson have become increasingly influential, with millions of viewers tuning in for political commentary and news updates. According to the report, 20% of Americans encountered news or commentary from Rogan in the week following the inauguration, while 14% of respondents came across content from Carlson, who now creates content across multiple social media platforms. This development underscores the massive shift in how people are consuming political news—through platforms and personalities they feel more connected to, rather than traditional, often impersonal, media outlets.

The Rise of AI: Chatbots Shaping the News Landscape

AI-driven platforms, particularly chatbots like ChatGPT, are emerging as key players in news consumption, especially among younger audiences. The report reveals that 15% of respondents under 25 use AI chatbots for news updates weekly, compared to just 7% of the general population. This shift represents a growing trend where AI tools summarize news, provide personalized content, and help users stay updated without needing to click through to full articles on news websites. The popularity of AI for news raises concerns for traditional publishers, as it could potentially reduce the number of clicks they receive, which is a key driver of their traffic and revenue.

ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Meta AI are leading the charge in AI news consumption, offering bite-sized news briefs tailored to individual preferences. As AI technology continues to advance, it’s likely that more users will rely on these tools to gather news, further eroding the role of traditional news outlets.

Young Audiences Shift to New Forms of Media

The report highlights that the shift away from traditional media is most pronounced among young Americans. Over half of individuals under the age of 35 in the U.S. now rely on social media and video networks as their main source of news. Globally, 44% of people aged 18 to 24 report using social media as their primary news source. This shift signals a growing preference for more interactive, engaging, and personalized forms of media consumption, with platforms like X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and TikTok offering content in formats that are easier to consume than traditional, long-form news broadcasts.

As social media platforms become the go-to destination for news, outlets like X are increasingly favored by younger audiences. In fact, 23% of Americans said they consumed news via X, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. X has become a particularly popular platform for right-leaning individuals and young men, demonstrating its growing influence as a news source.

However, the same report notes that rival platforms like Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon are struggling to gain significant traction, with reach for news remaining under 2% for each of these platforms. Despite this, X continues to rise as a dominant force in how news is shared and consumed in the U.S.

Trust and Concerns About Misinformation

While AI platforms and social media are becoming central to how news is consumed, there is a growing concern about the spread of misinformation. The report found that online influencers, along with politicians, are considered among the biggest sources of false or misleading information worldwide. In the U.S., politicians, in particular, are seen as the primary culprits of misinformation, further fueling distrust in traditional media.

Over 70% of Americans expressed concerns about their ability to distinguish true news from false information when using online platforms, a sentiment that remains consistent with the previous year’s findings. This highlights the continuing challenge for social media platforms, AI tools, and traditional news outlets to maintain credibility and trust among the public. As misinformation continues to spread across these new media formats, users are left questioning how to verify the information they consume.

The Struggle of Traditional Media

While new platforms are gaining traction, traditional media outlets like MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News are facing the challenge of retaining viewers. As more people, especially younger generations, turn to social media influencers, AI, and other non-traditional news sources, mainstream news outlets are experiencing a decline in their audience numbers.

According to data from Nielsen, viewership for traditional cable news channels continues to decrease, with younger viewers being particularly difficult to retain. Many young people don’t subscribe to cable or satellite services, and instead, they prefer streaming video and consuming news in bite-sized pieces. The erosion of traditional TV viewership and the decline in subscriber numbers are pushing these outlets to rethink their strategies.

The challenge for legacy media will be to adapt to these changing preferences without sacrificing journalistic integrity. The shift toward more sensationalist or performative content on platforms like YouTube and X further complicates the situation, with many news organizations trying to balance the demand for viral, clickable content with the need for factual reporting.

What’s Next: The Future of News Consumption

As the media landscape continues to evolve, it’s clear that AI, podcasters, and social media influencers will play a major role in shaping the future of news. For traditional media, the challenge will be to adjust to these new forms of media consumption while maintaining trust and credibility.

The rise of AI-driven news and social media platforms is not just a trend but a fundamental shift in how news is delivered and consumed. With younger audiences increasingly turning to influencers and personalized AI platforms, mainstream media outlets may struggle to remain relevant. For journalists and media companies, this means finding innovative ways to deliver trustworthy news without losing touch with their audiences.

As this trend continues to grow, the future of news will likely be marked by greater fragmentation, with people choosing news sources that align with their preferences and beliefs. The role of traditional news outlets may be reshaped, and it will be up to these outlets to figure out how to compete in a world where news is increasingly decentralized and personalized.

Conclusion: A Changing Media Landscape

The Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2025 reveals a critical turning point in how Americans consume news. With more people turning to social media, podcasters, and AI-driven platforms, the days of traditional media holding a monopoly over news dissemination are numbered. The challenge now is for both established and new players in the media industry to navigate this transformation, finding ways to engage and inform audiences in an era where content is consumed faster, differently, and in smaller doses.

This shift is both exciting and concerning for the future of journalism. As new technologies and platforms continue to rise, it will be fascinating to see how traditional news outlets adjust and whether they can retain their role as the primary source of news in a world increasingly shaped by influencers and AI.