Most Australians under 25 have never used newspapers or radio as a source of news, survey finds | Australian media
The majority of Australian adults under 25 have never used newspapers or radio as a news source, according to the 2026 Digital News Report, which tracks the changing habits of news consumers.
But after years of decline, overall interest in news has increased, especially among women and young people. Since 2024, interest in news among young people aged 18-24 has increased sharply (+12) to 47%.
Interest in politics has also increased among people under 35, who for the first time have higher levels of political interest than older people.
A survey by the University of Canberra News and Media Research Center found that 40 per cent of Australians who get their news from newspapers and radio have stopped using traditional media platforms, while 60 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds have never used newspapers as a news source.
Radio has never been a source of news for 53% of those under 25, and TV has never been a source of news for 25% of this demographic.
The long-term trend is away from traditional forms of media, such as TV and radio newscasts and daily newspapers, towards new media. Television remains the main source of news (57%), followed by social media (56%) and online news (52%).
As social media, including Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, grows as a major source of news, creators and influencers are increasingly interpreting the news for their followers. Almost half of 18 to 24 year olds (48%, +12) use TikTok for news.
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“Australians’ news consumption continues to evolve across platforms, avenues and devices,” the Digital News Report published on Tuesday said.
“While traditional sources such as TV remain important, digital avenues are increasingly prominent. Social media is now the second most widely used news source, ahead of online news, while podcasts and AI chatbots continue to grow.”
The Australian study is part of an international survey. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalismwhich surveys news consumers worldwide, including a statistical sample of 2,025 people in Australia.
As political debate becomes more polarized, it is perhaps surprising that 49% of Australians say they prefer news from sources that do not have a particular point of view.
Only one in five people (17%) prefer news that aligns with their point of view, and the same number seek news from sources that contradict their views.
There is good news for the country’s public service broadcasters ABC and SBS; Almost half of news consumers say public service media has a positive impact on life in Australia.
In contrast, 39% of right-wing consumers surveyed say public service media has a negative impact on society.
A majority of 25 to 34-year-olds (68%) feel much more positively about public service media than those 55 to 64 (34%) and those over 65 (38%).
The authors, led by Professor Sora Park of the University of Canberra, found that young people were more positive about the quality of news than older generations and also valued public service media more.
The new frontier in accessing news is productive AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini. Almost 10% of people report using tools to get their news, including asking follow-up questions.
Globally, trust in news is at a 10-year low, falling to 37 percent; This is the lowest level since the report began measuring confidence in 2015.
according to Global edition of the Digital News Report Among nearly 100,000 online news consumers in 48 markets, the steepest declines were recorded in the Philippines (-10 points), Ireland (-9), Thailand, Peru and Poland (all -8).
In the United States, only 25% say they trust the news “most of the time.” That’s a five-point drop from 2025, and the rate is even lower among right-leaning Americans (15%).
Some news brands experienced major declines in trust: CBS News and Fox News fell 10 points year-over-year, and CNN dropped six points.
