KUALA LUMPUR — News consumption has reached a turning point: social media now edges television and news websites as the most widely used source of news. 

This changing mix of traditional and digital news sources is reflected in the 2026 edition of the annual Digital News Report, published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

Across the 48 markets covered in 2026, social media was the most widely used source of news, averaging 54 per cent. Television followed at 52 per cent, while news websites were used by 51 per cent.

In 2017, television led at 73 per cent and news websites at 69 per cent, while social media stood at 54 per cent. Its move into first place therefore reflects the decline of the other two sources more than long-term growth in its own reach.