• TV remains the reference letter channel for the majority of respondents (38%), who choose it as their main source of news, compared to 23% who prioritize social networks.

• Consumption of information through traditional sources (TV, press or radio) has gone from being used by 82% in 2019 to 65% in 2025

The preference for information sources of Spaniards maintains the status of previous years. Television remains the most used source of information by Spaniards (54%), followed by social networks (46%). However, users report consuming more digital information (69%) than traditional (65%). At the other extreme, 9% of respondents say they do not use any of the information sources listed, the highest figure ever recorded.

Evolution of the consumption of information sources in Spain (2019-2025)

The data analysis of media consumption reveals that the information landscape in Spain has undergone significant transformations during the period 2019-2025. The most notable trend is a generalized decline in the use of both traditional and online news sources, accompanied by an increase in the percentage of the population who say they do not consult any source at all.

Traditional information consumption has shown a steady erosion from being used by 82% in 2019 to 65% in 2025. This represents a cumulative decline of 21%, with an average annual loss of almost three percentage points. Despite maintaining its leadership, its audience base has shrunk considerably. Within traditional news, television is the most affected, with a drop of 18 points between 2019 and 2025 (from 72% to 54%). Nevertheless, television still accounts for a substantial share (54%) of traditional information consumption.

Digital information has also seen a decline, albeit slightly less, from 80% in 2019 to 69% in 2025, a drop of 11 points. The average annual rate of loss was almost two percentage points, with this trend accelerating from 2022 onwards. Within the online sphere, social networks, although still a relevant source , have also seen their use as a source information decline, from 53% in 2019 to 46% in 2025 (seven points).

The phenomenon of information disconnection

A particularly relevant data is the B in the population that claims not to use any of the aforementioned sources. This group has gone from 3% in 2019 to 9% in 2025, tripling its size in the period analyzed. This constant and significant increase suggests a growing disconnection or disinterest in current news in a part of Spanish society.

The analysis identifies the 2022-2023 period as an inflection point, where the decline in all news categories accelerated. data after 2023 indicate a continuation of this general trend to leave and a convergence between the use of traditional and online sources. Fragmentation of audiences and an increase in information disconnection are observed. Although online sources show greater resistance than traditional sources, both are experiencing a clear downward trend. This scenario poses important challenges for the information ecosystem and underscores the need to develop new strategies to connect with citizens.

Breakdown by media subject : steep drops and variable resilience

While television maintains its position as the main source of information for most Spaniards, social networks are consolidating their position as the second most used source , although they also show a downward trend. In 2019 they were used by 53% of users as a way to access news, while in 2025 that percentage has dropped to 46%. This seven-point decline (-13.2%) has been more gradual than in other media, suggesting a greater capacity for adaptation and retention in fragmented digital contexts.

Other news formats have seen steeper declines. Print newspapers have lost exactly half of their audience in seven years, from 38% in 2019 to 19% in 2025. Radio also shows a sustained downward trajectory, although somewhat more moderate: from 27% to 18%.One of the most notable declines over the period corresponds to the websites and mobile apps of traditional newspapers, which have fallen 19 points (from 44% in 2019 to 25% in 2025). Although the decline has been progressive, it is particularly accentuated from 2023 onwards, suggesting that this source has had greater difficulty in sustaining its role in the digital news ecosystem. In any case, the general patron saint indicates that the digitization of traditional newspapers, although necessary, does not in itself guarantee audience loyalty in an increasingly atomized and competitive environment.

Websites and applications of audiovisual companies, such as radio and television stations, have also lost ground. Although their evolution has been more irregular, the cumulative decline between 2019 and 2025 (from 30% to 21%) represents a drop of nine points. This decline suggests that not even the players that have made the best transition to digital audiovisual formats are able to sustain their informative reach in the face of new consumption dynamics.

Main source of news: television (38%)

Despite the rise of social networks and the diversification of digital channels, television continues to be the medium that most Spaniards choose as their main source of information. A 38% of those surveyed indicate it as their main source of news. This percentage consolidates the position of television as the reference letter news channel in Spain, clearly ahead of social networks (23%). The rest of the sources, such as newspaper websites and apps (9%), TV and radio websites/apps (7%), printed press (7%), radio (6%) and AI chatbots (1%), are far behind in the preference of citizens.

Consumption strongly influenced by age

The choice of the main source information varies significantly according to the age of the respondents. Among the youngest, specifically in the 18-24 age group , social networks are the main source of information (43%). However, this percentage decreases with increasing age. It is worth noting that this group of 18 to 24 year-olds presents the greatest difference between the consumption of social networks (43%) and television (20%) as the main source .

On the other hand, among the older age groups, television becomes the main source of information. This trend consolidates after the age of 45 and reaches its peak in the 55+ age group , where television is the primary source for 49%. In contrast, only 15% of this age group prefers social networks. Comparing the extremes, the preference for television as the main source in the 55+ group (49%) is more than double that of the 18-24 group (20%).

As the age of the respondents increases, the weight of television as the main source of news also increases, while the role of social networks becomes less relevant. In the 18-24 and 25-34 age brackets, social networks are the first option for information; however, after the age of 35, their importance steadily decreases. From the age of 45 onwards, television is the main source of source , with a clear dominance in the 45-54 and 55+ age groups.

It is worth mentioning the role of emerging technologies. The use of artificial intelligence chatbots as the main source of information is, for the moment, very much in the minority. They have hardly any penetration in general, although their use is slightly higher among younger people. Specifically, only 5% of people aged between 18 and 24 say they use chatbots as their main source of news, and in the rest of the age groups, the percentage is even lower.

Gender differences in the choice of main source of information

Gender differences are manifested in different patterns of media consumption, information interests and digital habits. There is a statistically significant difference in the information sources preferred by men and women. Women show a greater preference for social networks (28% vs. 19% of men) and television (40% vs. 36% of men) as their main sources of information. In contrast, men tend to prefer radio (8% vs. 5% of women), printed press (8% vs. 6% of women) and newspaper websites/apps (11% vs. 6% of women).

Education shapes news consumption: from traditional to digital

educational level exerts a B influence on the way Spaniards are informed. As academic training increases, there is a growing inclination towards digital media, while the consumption of traditional platforms, such as television, radio or printed press, progressively decreases.

This trend is particularly evident in groups with lower educational levels, where traditional media retain a clear preference. For example, among those with basic programs of study , 55% are mainly informed through these channels, in contrast to 36% who opt for digital. This guideline is also reproduced at the intermediate educational level. However, this gap narrows and even reverses as one moves up the educational ladder.

Beyond the headline: when politics colors our choice of fonts

Ideological affiliation exerts a greater influence on television consumption than on that of social networks. Respondents who show a greater preeminence of television are those who place themselves in the center of the ideological spectrum: center-left, center-right and, in general, intermediate positions. In the rest of the groups, television is also positioned as one of the main sources of information, although the distance from other sources, such as social networks, may vary. The preference for television presents an "inverted U" patron saint , with the maximum in the central positions and the minimum at the extremes. The maximum is found in the center-left with 44%, and the minimum in the extreme left with 29%.

On the other hand, in social networks, a patron saint "U" patron saint is observed, with maximums in the ideological extremes (extreme left and extreme right). Specifically, the maximum preference for social networks is observed in the extreme right with 32%, while the minimum is in the center-left with 18%.

The role of interest and frequency in the choice of news sources.

The level of interest people have in current affairs and the frequency with which they access news significantly influence their choice of their primary source of information.

Those most interested in current affairs tend to prefer television and digital news media, such as newspaper websites and apps or the printed press. In contrast, the use of social networks as a primary source is considerably lower among this group of people with greater interest. Their use increases notably among those who show little or no interest in the news, reaching over 40% in the least interested groups. Similarly, traditional media such as television and radio lose relevance among those who show less interest in current affairs.

The frequency of access to news also reveals a definite patron saint in the choice of the main source . People who access news more frequently show a preference for traditional and digital news media. In this group, the use of social networks also carries considerable weight. On the contrary, as the frequency of news enquiry decreases, the preference for social networks as the main source increases significantly, exceeding 50% among the groups that access news less frequently. In line with the above, traditional and digital news media lose relevance among those who access news less frequently.