Old News, New Screens: Media's Big Shift
Traditional media (print, TV) faces new media (internet, social). This changes reach, interaction, and trust in information.
Topics: media, politics, individual and values
Example
In its September 2025 fact sheet, the Pew Research Center found that 53% of US adults at least sometimes get news from social media, a share that has stayed roughly stable since 2020 (it was 50% in 2023). Facebook and YouTube are the most common sources, and a growing share use TikTok for news. Social media reaches people quickly and widely, but it also spreads unverified claims alongside professional journalism.
Key facts
- Pew found in 2025 that 53% of US adults at least sometimes get news from social media, roughly stable since 2020.
- Pew's figure for 2023 was 50%.
Limitations
- 'At least sometimes' is a low bar, and the figures are for the US only; most people also use other sources, so social media has not simply replaced print or TV.
Evaluations
media evaluation
Support
With about half of US adults getting news on social media, platforms have become a major gateway to journalism, shifting power from publishers to algorithms.
Counterargument
Much of the news shared on social media is still produced by traditional outlets, so old media remain the source even when new media are the channel.
Rebuttal
That dependence cuts both ways: platforms need journalism, but publishers lose control of how their work is presented and paid for.
Additional support
The share has been stable around half since 2020, suggesting social media news has matured rather than kept growing.
politics evaluation
Support
Getting news through social feeds exposes people to more partisan and unverified content, which can deepen political division.
Counterargument
Social media also lets citizens and smaller outlets report events that mainstream media ignore.
Rebuttal
Both effects exist; what matters is whether users can judge sources, which is why media literacy is now taught in many schools.
Additional support
Singapore's POFMA and the EU's Digital Services Act are two different government responses to news on platforms.
individual and values evaluation
Support
Social media lets individuals choose and share news, giving them a more active role than reading a newspaper.
Counterargument
Choice can mean avoiding uncomfortable news altogether and seeing only views one already holds.
Rebuttal
Individuals can widen their sources deliberately; the platform makes narrowing easy but not inevitable.
Additional support
Surveys show many people trust news they see on social media less than news from established outlets, even as they use it.
Sources
- Pew Research Center (2025-09-25): Social Media and News Fact Sheet