• News outlets continue to be an important source of information (49%), and search engines are strengthening their position (47%)

• Social media is the pathway of news (31%), followed by direct access through media apps and websites (19%)

Following the decline observed last year in some of the main news channels, data confirm the coexistence of multiple forms of access: algorithm-mediated channels continue to play a major role (60%), search engines are strengthening their position (47%, +4 points), and news brands maintain a significant presence (49%), although they are increasingly dependent on indirect access.

 
The most noticeable change is occurring on social media, which has increased from 38% to 42% as a means of accessing news. This is the most significant increase compared to 2025 and once again positions these platforms as the most widely used individual channel, following the decline seen the previous year. This confirms that social media continues to play a central role in per diem expenses , despite content saturation, the decline in the newsworthiness of some platforms, and growing distrust of these platforms.

Search engines are also regaining some prominence. Overall, traffic from search has increased slightly from 44% to 47%, whether users are searching for a specific news outlet or a specific news story, although the increase is moderate in both cases.

Finally, news brands continue to hold a significant position, slightly higher than in 2025. Brand reach increases from 47% to 49%, while direct access to media websites and apps remains at 26%. Brands continue to be present in the news consumption journey of a large portion of users, although often not as a standalone starting point, but rather as a destination reached through search engines, social media, or other intermediaries.

 
For the other channels, the changes are minor and point more toward a slight decline in secondary channels: mobile alerts (14%), aggregators (14%), and email newsletters or alerts (11%). Overall, these more personalized distribution channels will not manage to expand their reach by 2026.

The same guideline observed when respondents are asked about their primary source of access. Social media has strengthened its lead, rising from 28% to 31%. Once again, it is the top individual gateway entrance . This is followed by direct access to news outlets via their website or app (19%) or through a search engine 18%), with virtually no changes from the previous year. Overall, nearly half of users who obtained news online report having done so primarily through algorithmic channels: 49%, up one percentage point from 2025. News outlets remain at 37%, and search engine 30%.

For the media, the challenge remains the same as in previous years. It’s not enough to produce relevant content: you need to be visible where users find the news. But it’s also not enough to simply optimize your presence on social media, search engines, or news aggregators. The challenge twofold: on the one hand, adapting to a distribution environment that is increasingly automated and dependent on third parties; on the other, strengthening your own channels (websites, apps, newsletters, alerts) that allow you to maintain a more direct and less vulnerable relationship with your audiences.