Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2022 finds rise in news avoidance

Growing numbers of people are avoiding the news—largely due to the perceived repetitiveness of the news agenda and the effect on their mood—according to Reuters Institute’s latest Digital News Report.

The organisation’s 11th annual survey—based on over 93,000 interviews in 46 markets, representing views of half the world’s population—shows the public is turning away from important stories such as the pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the cost of living crisis.

Overall, 38% of those surveyed say they often or sometimes avoid the news–up from 29% in 2017–around 36% say the news lowers their mood, and 17% say it leads to arguments they’d rather avoid.

Lead author and Senior Research Associate Nic Newman said: “These findings are particularly challenging for the news industry.

“Subjects that journalists consider most important, such as political crises, international conflicts and global pandemics, seem to be precisely the ones that are turning some people away.”

Key findings include that trust in news has slumped in almost half the countries surveyed following last year’s rise – with Finland remaining the country with the highest levels of overall trust (69%).

Other key findings include:

• Overall growth in news subscriptions may be levelling off, despite significant increases in the proportion paying for online news in richer countries such as Australia, Germany and Sweden.
• There are difficulties in engaging younger users with news, who are increasingly accessing the news via visual networks such as TikTok.
• In the UK there has been a decrease to 20% of those surveyed in those who think the media is independent from undue political or government influence, down 14 points from 2017.

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is dedicated to exploring the future of journalism worldwide.