Ofcom’s annual survey of news consumption found in 2024 that, for the first time, online sources were used for news by as many UK adults as television, which had been the leading source since the 1960s.
The finding matters for the specification’s study of the media, because online platforms are regulated differently from broadcasters, which have a legal duty of due impartiality.
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The findings support analysis of how political communication is changing, especially for younger voters. They also complicate simple claims: much online news is produced by traditional broadcasters and newspapers, and BBC One remained the single most used source.
Ofcom notes that people using online news may be reading content from established publishers and broadcasters, so the figures do not show a shift away from traditional journalism.
Data on where people get their news does not show whether that source changed how they voted.
Respondents rated television and radio more highly for accuracy and impartiality, suggesting broadcasters keep their authority even as their reach falls.
The facts and their significance still stand.
Official regulator data on a turning point in how people get political news.
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Origin: AI draft (Claude) · Reviewer: Editor
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