Where do people get their news from
Global summary
Globally, news consumption is increasingly fragmented across multiple platforms, with a mix of traditional media, digital platforms, and messaging channels shaping how people stay informed.
Television (55%) remains a widely used traditional source, but its influence is declining, especially among younger demographics (YouGov, 2023). Print newspapers (26%) and radio (25%) continue to play a role, though they are also in long-term decline (YouGov, 2023). In contrast, digital media is rapidly growing as a dominant news source, with social media (47%) (YouGov, 2023) and messaging apps (21%) (Reuters, 2024) playing an increasingly important role, particularly in regions where trust in mainstream media is lower.
Podcasts (33%) have emerged as a key source, attracting younger audiences (Reuters, 2024) and video-based platforms like YouTube (31%) and TikTok (13%) are becoming significant players in news consumption, with audiences shifting towards more visual and interactive formats (Reuters, 2024). Meanwhile, Search (33%) remains a crucial gateway to news for all demographics (Reuters, 2024).
Age gaps:
Younger demographics (18–24 and 25–34) predominantly rely on social-first and video-driven platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, reflecting their preference for interactive and visually engaging content. (Reuters, 2024). Middle-aged groups (35–44 and 45–54) show a balance between digital platforms like YouTube and Facebook and some continued engagement with traditional sources (Reuters, 2024). Older audiences (55+) still heavily rely on traditional media, such as TV and newspapers, but they are increasingly participating in discussions via Facebook groups and messaging apps (Reuters, 2024).
Where people get their climate-specific news
Globally: TV (31%) and online news sites/apps (24%) remain the most widely used sources of climate news. Still, social platforms (19%) are rapidly closing the gap (Oxford Climate Journalism Network), as with overall news consumption.
Country-specific patterns: Climate news engagement is highest in France (60%) and lowest in the US (34%), where there has been a 16 percentage point drop since 2023 (Oxford Climate Journalism Network). In Brazil, WhatsApp and YouTube are significant news sources, while in the UK, some audiences use Facebook for climate news (Oxford Climate Journalism Network).
Declining trust in traditional media: Only 50% of people trust the news media for climate information, while scientists (74%) remain the most trusted sources (Oxford Climate Journalism Network).
(Table source: Oxford Climate Journalism Network).
Where climate conversations happen outside of a “news” context
Social networks and communities: Climate discourse thrives in local and niche Facebook Groups (e.g. local flooding, property impacts) and the likes of Reddit threads (city-specific discussions in particular). Nextdoor is emerging as an essential source of hyper-local dialogue but is limited to the U.S. (Civic Science).
WhatsApp: One of the leading platforms for news consumption in several countries, particularly in Africa and Asia. In Nigeria, 58% of people use WhatsApp for news, making it the second most popular platform after Facebook, while in Indonesia, 46% rely on it for news (Reuters, 2024). In regions where people report experiencing extreme weather events, it is highly likely that they use these apps to discuss unfolding situations and share critical information, as local climate events tend to generate the highest levels of public interest.
Conversations are increasingly shaped by Social media video content: TikTok has overtaken X as a news source globally (13% vs. 10%), with high usage in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. YouTube, used by 31% globally for news, is the top platform for under-25s. Algorithms on these platforms prioritise highly engaging content, making explainers and eyewitness footage particularly effective outside traditional news formats. Meanwhile, influencers and online personalities are growing in prominence, often overshadowing traditional media.
Wikipedia, a key contributor to AI training datasets and the number one source of ‘news’ training (Washington Post), has an 88% trustworthiness rating, underscoring its role as a vital platform for accessible and reliable news information and a source for Search results more widely (Forte and Morgan).
Documentaries have emerged as a key medium for engaging audiences with climate change outside traditional news formats, with 11% citing them as a climate news source (Oxford Climate Journalism Network).They often reach audiences who might not otherwise engage with climate news. They also provide a way to explore climate issues indirectly.
Video games are emerging as dynamic spaces for climate conversations and education. For instance, Minecraft’s (204m users) Education Edition includes Climate Warriors, an interactive game designed to teach young players about extreme weather and climate resilience using real-world data. In Fortnite (230m users), the new interactive Fortnite island, the game teaches players about Tradewater’s ongoing initiatives to locate and neutralise the world’s most potent greenhouse gases.
Podcasts : The number of podcast listeners globally has reached 548.7 million and is projected to hit 630.9 million by the end of 2025 (Priori Data). While podcasts are a popular medium, news-related content, on the surface, appears to make up a relatively minor portion of overall listening However, despite being categorised as 'entertainment' or 'social commentary' rather than news, influential podcasts drive significant news discourse. For example, Joe Rogan's downloads per episode surpass primary TV news audiences, but his podcast is classified as ‘entertainment’. Additionally, Political candidates increasingly turn to long-form podcast interviews to shape narratives and engage audiences on ‘Entertainment’, not news podcasts - Trump’s campaign saw him spend 17 hours doing podcast interviews, and not a single one was on a ‘news’ show (Financial Times).
Other: Football fans on Reddit, X, and club forums are actively debating match postponements caused by heatwaves, flooding, and poor air quality, as extreme weather increasingly disrupts major tournaments—wildfires impacted the 2020 Australian Open, and the US Open introduced an extreme heat policy. The English FA reports that 120,000 grassroots matches are lost each year due to extreme weather (BBC Sport, 2023), making climate impacts impossible to ignore, even for fans who typically tune out climate news. Meanwhile, on social trading platforms like eToro, climate policies are big business, with investors debating green energy stocks, ESG investing, and carbon markets. Over on LinkedIn, the conversation takes a more professional tone, as sustainability officers, corporate leaders, and policymakers share case studies, reports, and new commitments, keeping climate discussions firmly embedded across different sectors.
What are the frames in which climate impacts are already being discussed….
Climate Change as a Local Crisis: People engage with climate stories most when they intersect with local news (52%) and weather events (54%) (Oxford Climate Journalism Network, 2025). Extreme weather events like floods, heatwaves, and wildfires are framed in personal and community-oriented ways, linking to health risks, property damage, and economic costs. Platforms like Facebook Groups, Reddit, and Nextdoor (US) facilitate hyper-local climate discussions, often around immediate community concerns such as heat, school closures, insurance rates, or infrastructure failures.
Climate Justice and Social Equity: Discussions around climate justice, race, and social equity have gained traction amongst the younger generation, particularly in the Global South, where communities are most affected by climate change. Indigenous and marginalised communities are increasingly positioned as frontline defenders in climate battles, with their perspectives gaining prominence through platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and niche activist media.
Techno-Optimism: Climate discourse is split between those who advocate technological solutions (CCS, geoengineering, AI-driven energy efficiency) and those who argue for or mass systematic economic change. Podcasts, documentaries, and YouTube explainers play a key role in presenting both perspectives, with long-form discussions exploring nuances that mainstream news often lacks.
Disinformation About Climate Impacts: Prevalent across Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, often downplaying climate risks or promoting conspiracy theories about ‘climate engineering’ and ‘globalist’ agendas. Nevertheless scientists remain the most trusted sources (74%), but traditional media are losing credibility, with trust in climate journalism stagnating at 50% (Oxford Climate Journalism Network, 2025).
References
- Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2024 (Reuters, 2024)
- Pew Research Center: Social Media and News, 2024 (Pew Research Center, 2024)
- Reuters Institute: Journalism, Media and Technology Trends and Predictions 2025 (Reuters, 2024)
- Diverse media landscape: How the world consumes news (YouGov, 2023)
- Climate Change and News Audiences Report 2024: Analysis of News Use and Attitudes in Eight Countries (Oxford Climate Journalism Network, 2025)
- Wikipedia Foundation, Pageviews Analysis, Accessed 10 February 2025
- Inside the secret list of websites that make AI like ChatGPT sound smart (Washington Post, 2023)
- Forte, Andrea, and Jonathan Morgan. “Why People Trust Wikipedia Articles: Credibility Assessment Strategies Used by Readers.” The International Symposium on Open Collaboration, 2022, The ACM Digital Library (Forte and Morgan)
- Statista, and Similar Web. “Regional distribution of desktop traffic to Wikipedia.org as of March 2024, by country.” Statista, November 2024 (Statista and Similar Web),
- Civic Science. “Unlocking Nextdoor Usage in 2024, From Business Recommendations to Staying Aware.” Unlocking Nextdoor Usage in 2024, From Business Recommendations to Staying Aware, Civic Science, 17 January 2024 (Civic Science)
- CCDH. “The New Climate Denial: Major new report on YouTube uncovers evolution of climate deniers’ tactics – as almost a third of teens believe global warming is “harmless.” Counter Hate, CCDH, 16 January 2024 (CCDH),
- Financial Times. “The podcast bros who helped put Trump back in the White House.” FT.com, 25 January 2025, (Financial Times)
- Priori Data. “Podcast Statistics for 2025 | Listener Stats & Growth” (Priori Data)
Appendix
Comparative Analysis: Extreme Weather Discourse Online
Looking at data in 2024 on X and Reddit, we see that online discussions around extreme weather events take notably different shapes depending on whether they explicitly reference climate change or not. When climate-specific terms—such as “climate change,” “global warming,” or “CO₂ emissions”—are included, we see 845,000 total mentions from 445,000 unique authors.
In contrast, excluding these terms yields a much larger raw volume—45 million mentions from 6 million unique authors— with a much broader, less climate-focused narrative. These figures underscore how framing can redirect attention from urgent, long-term environmental debates to more immediate, localised concerns about disaster impacts and relief efforts.
Global Context and Shifting Narratives
Climate-Framed vs. General Disasters
- Climate-inclusive discussions tend to emphasise scientific consensus, calls for policy action, and the systemic causes of severe weather.
- While more numerous, general disaster mentions often dwell on immediate impacts like property damage, evacuation logistics, or government funding for relief.
Volatility of Public Engagement
- Conversations referencing climate factors can surge during high-profile events like hurricanes or wildfires, channelling global attention toward human-driven warming.
- Broader mentions see higher sustained volume but less specific blame or solution-based dialogue, reflecting diverse local narratives.
Where and How Conversations Evolve on Reddit
- Climate-framed posts frequently appear in subreddits like r/climatechange, r/environment, and r/collapse, where users dissect the science behind extreme weather and advocate for mitigation strategies.
- General Disaster discussions dominate r/news, r/politics, and r/AskReddit, focusing on rescue efforts, leadership accountability, and community resilience.
Reddit users - all:
Overview:
- The U.S. Dominates Traffic – More than 50% of users are from the United States, making it by far the largest audience.
- Younger Demographics Drive Engagement – The largest share of users falls into the 18-24 (30.35%) and 25-34 (31.64%) age groups.
- News is a Major Interest – 'News' is the biggest topic, reinforcing the idea that people are seeking information and discussions on current events.
- Entertainment & E-commerce Are Also Key – Interests in shopping, video, and games suggest that users are engaging with a mix of consumer-related and entertainment content.
- Regional Diversification – While the U.S. is the dominant market, Canada, the UK, Australia, and Germany also contribute a significant number of users.
Top Countries by Users (%):
