In today’s digital era, more of us are accessing news and current affairs information via social media rather than what may be described as ‘traditional’ channels, such as newspapers and news channels. Let’s take a look at this in more detail.

Social media channels

Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are all examples of social media outlets that play a part in sharing news. The channel people access may depend on their age bracket and their demographics; for example, according to The Atlantic, women are more likely to access Facebook, and younger demographics are heading to X and TikTok in the first instance.

Bitesize news

Part of the explanation for this rise in using social media to access news may be the fact that social media often offers small snippets of news, with users able to click through for a fuller and longer story if they wish.

For journalists, optimising content for social media is an important skill to ensure the news is current, not only in content but also in terms of its format and accessibility. For anyone wanting to explore a career in this field, a journalism degree can be a great starting point. A journalism degree can also offer budding journalists the chance to explore how to use social media to convey information effectively.

Multimedia options

Another important factor in the growth of social media as a news outlet is the use of videos to tell news, with platforms such as YouTube playing a big role in journalism.