Traditional journalism in the United States is under siege, not only from political pressure, but also from significant shifts in how Americans consume information. As President Donald Trump launches a second-term offensive against mainstream media, the 2025 Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute says a growing number of Americans have already moved on.
For the first time, more Americans now say they get their news from social and video networks than from television or digital news outlets. The shift, most pronounced in the wake of Trump’s January inauguration, signals a turning point in the erosion of legacy media’s dominance. Particularly among younger audiences, social media and video-sharing platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) now rival, if not eclipse, traditional news brands.