Young people are seeking out politics via social media, and are willing to pay for news
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Young Australians are driving significant changes in news consumption across social media and generative AI.
The Digital News Report: Australia 2026 released by the University of Canberra’s News and Media Research Centre reveals young Australians are more interested in news and are consuming more of it, with Australians under 35 reporting for the first time higher interest in politics than older generations.
But the research bodes badly for legacy media, showing younger Australians are turning their backs on traditional news sources.
The report found that 60 per cent of Australians aged 18–24 have never used newspapers, 53 per cent haven’t listened to the radio, and one quarter have never turned on the TV for news. In contrast, almost half (48 per cent) of that age group choose to get their news from TikTok.
While they might not be using traditional platforms, their interest in news and consumption of it have risen sharply since 2023 (47 per cent, +12; 49 per cent, +13).
The findings also highlight the major role that creators and influencers now play in Australia’s news landscape. More than half of under-35s say these creators meet their news needs, and 43 per cent of Australians overall get news from them. Among these users, most find influencer-led news more entertaining (59 per cent), relatable (55 per cent) and easier to understand (56 per cent) than traditional news.
“Young Australians are not disengaged from news – they are reshaping how news is accessed, consumed and understood,” said Professor Sora Park, lead author of the report and Director of the News and Media Research Centre (N&MRC).
“We are seeing a generational shift away from fixed routines and traditional platforms towards more fluid, platform-driven and personalised news habits. Younger Australians are signalling a desire for news that feels accessible, authentic and engaging.”
More young Australians are also paying for news.
University of Canberra Professor Sora Park, lead author of the report and Director of the News and Media Research Centre.
Despite cost-of-living pressures, under-35s now use more news sources than older Australians and are far more likely to pay for them with 27 per cent of 18–24s and 41 per cent of 25–34s paying for news, compared with just 16 per cent of those aged 65+. Among those who pay, under 35s also drive Australia’s world-leading position in paying for digital-only news brands (47 per cent versus 34 per cent globally).
The report reveals that younger people are more likely to pay for news that matches their views, but they also see news as a social good. Under-35s are twice as likely as older Australians to say they pay for news so others can access it for free (30 per cent versus 15 per cent). Those aged 25–34 are twice as likely to say public service media benefits Australian society (68 per cent) as people aged 55+.
Generative AI is a growing part of the news ecosystem. Nearly one in ten Australians (9 per cent, +3) now use AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity for news. Growth is fastest among under-25s (16 per cent, +4).
Among users of AI chatbots for news, almost half (49 per cent) use them to follow up on news stories, while others use them to summarise information, explain complex issues and verify information they encounter elsewhere online. Overall, AI news users value the chatbots’ ability to aggregate, explain, and simplify news.
However, trust in news via AI chatbots (19 per cent) and social media (21 per cent) is very low compared to the news generally (43 per cent), with 49 per cent saying they distrust news found on AI. Concern about misinformation also continues to rise, with 77 per cent (+3) of Australians worried about what is real or fake on the Internet.
“AI is becoming another layer in how Australians navigate information,” Professor Park said.
“But trust remains central. Audiences continue to place greater value on journalism they perceive as credible, transparent and accurate. The data also suggest that low trust in AI could be contributing to the growing concern about online misinformation.”
Social media is now the main gateway to online news
Social media continues to grow as a central source of news for Australians. The report found social media (56 per cent) is now the second most-used source of news, sitting just behind television (57 per cent) and ahead of online news websites and apps (52 per cent).
For the first time, social media (32 per cent) has also overtaken direct visits to news websites (31 per cent) as the main pathway for Australians to access online news.
“As the government grapples with its News Bargaining Incentive legislation, this year’s data underscores the increasing role digital platforms, including AI, are having on Australians’ access to news,” Professor Park said.
“The challenge for news organisations is to adapt to constantly changing audience behaviours without undermining their economic viability or compromising the quality and credibility of news that underpin public trust.”
You can access the full Digital News Report: Australia 2026 here.
The Digital News Report: Australia 2026 is produced by UC’s News and Media Research Centre in partnership with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford. The Digital News Report delivers comparative data on trends in news consumption in 48 countries and across six continents. The Australian online sample size is 2,025.
