Clicks, Credibility and the Changing Face of UK Media

A question often asked by clients is ‘where do people really get their news in the UK?’. In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, what news platforms have the broadest and deepest influence?

The way in which people digest news and digital content in the UK is evolving rapidly, underscored by a growing generational divide almost as stark in its media habits as in its political outlook. For companies attempting to build an effective communications strategy, it’s important to note that ‘popular’ isn’t the same as ‘influential’ or ‘trusted’. Here are five points on media coverage worth considering:

1. Television’s crown has slipped – but don’t write it off yet.
Online platforms have overtaken TV as Britain’s favourite source for news – but only just. Ofcom found in 2024 that 71% of adults regularly use online sources for news, versus 70% for television.

However, broadcast brands remain hugely influential, particularly when you factor in their online presence. The BBC, Sky News, ITV and GB News are all among the UK’s top ten news websites and have become increasingly active on social media platforms like TikTok. And when people are asked for their single top source for news across any platform, watching BBC1 comes top.

2. News on social media attracts a healthy cynicism – particularly among younger users.
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, X and WhatsApp are each used by at least 25% of the population to access news. But their users are discerning – and they take what they see with a pinch of salt, particularly younger generations. Only 43% feel social media sources are “trustworthy”, falling to 37% among 16-to-24-year-olds. Only 46% agree that social media “helps me to make up my mind”’, compared to 60% for television, 57% for radio and 51% for other online news sources.

3. Traditional newspaper brands still command in-depth attention
Long established news brands have seen loyalty, and readers, slip away. But they still command a key quality – in-depth attention. The Times, for example, ranks a lowly 20th in page views among UK news brands – but it comes 8th in terms of dwell time, with the average reader spending 45 minutes per month on its content. Telegraph readers stick around for 53 minutes per month, while Guardian fans stay for 37 minutes a month. Persuading readers to pay for their news remains an uphill struggle: with the BBC available for nothing, only 8% of Brits pay a regular subscription to a news service, versus 40% in Norway, 22% in the US and 13% in Germany according to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report.

4. A video speaks a thousand words
Short viral videos have low thresholds for creation and are eminently scroll-able. Initially gaining prominence as a tool of influencer culture, they’re now a mainstay of savvy media companies. Perhaps the master of this genre in the UK is LADBible, which publishes more than 50 videos a day, each commanding an average 1.3 million views. LADBible, founded by a group of Leeds students, has the biggest TikTok following of any news brand and was named Europe’s number one watched video property last year in a study by Tubular Labs – ahead of the BBC, Daily Mail and Sky. Video – traditionally a costly way to capture audiences – is now a cheap way to reach a large and virtually engaged population.

5. Podcasts are hot – but don’t expect diversity
One in five adults listen to a podcast at least once a week. Podcasts reach a premium audience of young, affluent, well-educated listeners. They’ve become a key channel for on-the-go immersion in news, politics and specialised content, and they’re increasingly popular with advertisers. Just don’t expect diversity. Reflecting the dominance of male hosts, the Reuters Institute found a distinct gender skew, with 39% of men listening to podcasts regularly compared to only 32% of women.

Reports of the decline of the fourth estate have been rumbling for a decade and are – as ever – exaggerated. A mention on BBC1, for example, is still to be envied. But loyalty to any single channel or platform has all but disintegrated.

In strategic communications terms, targeting is everything – and it’s and crucial to think clearly about audience, influence and outcomes. Above all, it’s vital to avoid confusing clicks with credibility.