Malaysians turn to social media first for news, says report
The Reuters Institute said 69% of respondents used social media for news in 2026, compared with 42% for news websites and 36% for television,while print media collapsed to 14%.
A report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reveals that Malaysians are increasingly turning to social media as their primary source of news, surpassing television and news websites. In 2026, 69% of respondents relied on social media platforms for news, compared to 42% for news websites and 36% for television.
Influencers and content creators have also gained popularity, with former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and retired politician Idris Jala being notable figures. Their weekly podcasts, Keluar Sekejap and The Game of Impossible, respectively, are among the most accessed news content. WhatsApp remains the preferred social media platform for news, followed by Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Telegram.
Despite this shift, trust in the news media has declined, dropping from 41% in 2021 to 30% in 2026. Malaysia's trust rate is seven points lower than the global average of 37%.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Malaysians turn to social media first for news, says report freemalaysiatoday.com
