News video consumption on social media surges globally, study finds

A report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism indicates that social media video has become the primary method for global news consumption. In contrast to Europe and North America, weekly viewing figures in Asia and Latin America are notably higher: 47% of Asians engage with news videos on YouTube weekly, and 47% of Latin Americans do so on Facebook, compared to 24% and 28% in Europe and North America, respectively. The shift is largely influenced by younger audiences, with 56% of individuals aged 18–24 never reading a physical newspaper weekly, and 21% not regularly watching broadcast news. Additionally, 23% of news video viewers on YouTube prefer clips longer than 20 minutes, and 27% of all ages use Smart TVs for news apps, particularly among younger users. The findings suggest that despite the decline of traditional media, new avenues exist for publishers on platforms like YouTube.