Online overtakes TV as news source | Telegraph's David Knowles dies aged 32
And how people got their news during the general election campaign
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Six of the top ten news sources for teens in the UK are completely unregulated and largely above the law.
The latest research from regulator Ofcom on access to news reminds publishers about the platforms they need to be active on if they want to stay relevant. And it should remind legislators of the dangerous information age we find ourselves in.
The news sources of the future appear to be Tiktok, Youtube, Instagram, Snapchat and Whatsapp (according to the habits of younger teenagers). Unlike publishers, these platforms can publish pretty much whatever they like without fear of legal action over defamation, privacy or contempt of court.
And, unlike publishers, they are unlikely to face any sort of action over other types of content which could harm the health of young people.
For all Britons over the age of 16 social media is now cited as a news source by 52% compared with newspapers (print and digital) on 34%. Facebook, Youtube, Instagram and X are now among the top sources of news cited by all Britons.
As with newspapers, radio and TV before - the time has come for regulators to get more involved in the world of online if they want accurate information to form an important part of public discourse in the future. Luckily, with the Digital Markets and Online Safety Acts now coming into force, the legislation is there for government to take action if it chooses to.
Meanwhile, separate Ofcom research has found that TV remained the biggest source of news about the recent UK general election.
The research also found that working class people, over 50s and women were more likely to switch off from news coverage during the election. Many reported that "people like me don't have a voice in society".
Encouragingly, the research found that 18 to 24-year-olds appear to have been among the most switched-on when it came to following election news.
And the Press Gazette team were saddened to learn yesterday about the sudden death of a talented and much-loved journalist aged just 32.
The Telegraph's David Knowles has done as much as anyone to tell the story of Europe's biggest conflict since the Second World War and keep the plight of its victims in the public eye.
The podcast he launched and presented, Ukraine: The Latest, is approaching 100 million downloads and has been notable for its reliance on first-hand reporting and its efforts to share verified information amid the fog of war. Our condolences to David's family, friends and colleagues.
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New from Press Gazette
Telegraph Ukraine podcast presenter David Knowles dies aged 32
Knowles’s father, Peter, told The Telegraph: “David’s commitment to journalism was intense. He was never more proud than when he finally shrugged off a management job title and regained a title with the word ‘journalist’ in it.”
Online overtakes TV as biggest source of news in UK for first time
The latest Ofcom survey found that 70% of UK adults (over-16s) are getting news from TV, down from 75% last year when it included broadcaster video on-demand for the first time. In 2018 TV was on 79%.
Twice as many Brits got 2024 election news from TV as from social media, Ofcom finds
Among C2DE respondents (those who work in, for example, skilled or unskilled manual occupations) 28% reported being not interested in news and current affairs generally – a proportion that rose to 36% during the election.
News in brief
Business Insider has named Jamie Heller as its next editor-in-chief following Nicholas Carlson’s shift in focus towards longer projects. (Press Gazette)
The total number of complaints for the broadcast of Good Morning Britain on 5 August, in which Ed Balls interviewed Home Secretary Yvette Cooper who is his wife and which also featured a controversial interview with MP Zarah Sultana, has now reached 16,812 according to Ofcom.
GB News has launched a new merchandise range that it says "allows our community to join us in standing for the things that matter most to them". It comes shortly after the network hit 10,000 paying members last month. (See some merch examples here)
The timeline has been set out for the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act. The big tech pro-competition regime is expected to be brought into effect in December or January, with the first strategic market status investigations to launch afterwards. (Parliament)
Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee chair Caroline Dinenage has been re-elected in the position. She was first elected to be the committee's chair in May 2023.
Previously on Press Gazette
Obituary: Former Telegraph crime reporter John Weeks who spent career in the fast lane
Google ad tech practices harming ‘thousands of UK publishers and advertisers’, watchdog believes
The Guardian names new correspondents to cover underreported communities
FT journalists in US secure pay deal including $75k minimum salary
Guardian moves into e-commerce amid revenue shortfall for 2023/2024
Press Gazette live
Our flagship event the Future of Media Technology Conference and Awards takes place on 12 September on the Hilton Bankside hotel in London. It provides publishers with a masterclass on the big technology themes impacting our business and is also an unrivalled networking opportunity.
Full agenda and booking details here.