Bulk of Indians Get their News from Social Media, with over 70% Relying on Online Sources

According to the Reuters Institute's digital news study 2024, 49% of Indians rely on social media and nearly 71% prefer online news sources. It went on to say that 35% of Indians get their news via Facebook, 48% from WhatsApp, and 54% from YouTube.

The study is based on a YouGov poll that included over 95,000 people from 47 nations, or over half of the world's population. The majority of respondents—that is, 79% of them—state that they consume news on their mobile phones.

There is a downward tendency in TV

According to the research, 46% fewer individuals are getting their news from television this year. Print media, at 40%, continued to be the least popular, nonetheless. 49% of individuals get their news from social media.

In general, 71% of individuals get their news via internet media.

YouTube is the most popular online medium for consuming news, with 54% of all usage. In contrast, Indians utilize X (previously known as Twitter) the least (13%), when it comes to online news sources.

With 48%, WhatsApp, 35%, 33%, and 20% coming in behind YouTube are Facebook, 35%, Instagram, and 20%, respectively.

However, the study makes it clear that the data comes from an online poll conducted in India among predominantly English-speaking news consumers; this group makes up a very small portion of the country's larger and more diversified media landscape.

The report stated that because the poll was conducted online, the results could not fairly represent general media consumption trends and could even understate the importance of conventional media like print and television.