GB News’ unstoppable growth has been recognised in a new report.
The Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025 is the most comprehensive study of news consumption worldwide. It provides deep insight into the trends shaping newsroom strategy, audience behaviour and tech disruption across the global media.
The report, now in its 15th year, is based on YouGov data from almost 100,000 across 48 markets.
And this year’s report concluded how, based on weekly reach, GB News has soared to become the UK’s fourth biggest news media outlet.
Based on radio, TV and print data, Reuters ranked GB News above Channel Four News, Channel Five News and CNN, with our position up from eighth position a year ago.
Online, GBNews.com is ranked the sixth largest news platform in the UK, tied with Telegraph.co.uk. The report placed our website above Sun Online, The Times Online, ITV News Online, Mirror Online, Yahoo News, and CNN Online.
The Reuters report also investigated the level of trust that the public have in UK news outlets. And it concluded the People’s Channel was a more trusted source than both the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror newspaper.
Commenting on the report, Mick Booker, GB News’ Editorial Director, said: “This report is a must read for anyone interested in how the consumption of news is changing across the globe.
“To see GB News and GBNews.com recording such positive growth is a reflection of the tireless efforts of our award winning team to provide the very best journalism.
“As Reuters’ report lays bare, our unstoppable growth is continuing, and soaring numbers of people are turning to the People’s Channel because they value the fearless journalism our team relentlessly provides.”
The Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025, based on YouGov data from almost 100,000 respondents across 48 markets, reveals a global shift in news consumption habits. It found social and video platforms have overtaken traditional media.
For the first time, social media is the main news source in major markets like the US and Australia, with platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, and X now reaching over 10% of weekly users each
It also concluded that news consumption is becoming deeply fragmented, driven by a rise in influencer-led content. Creators like Joe Rogan, Tucker Carlson, and others have captured significant audiences, particularly among younger demographics, while traditional news brands struggle to engage this cohort.
Trust in news remains low but stable at around 40%, reflecting a substantial decline from earlier highs (60%) and considerable national variation, Finland holds the highest trust at nearly 69%. News avoidance has risen sharply; globally, about 39% of people now often or sometimes avoid the news, with UK avoidance nearing 46%.
Video is capturing growing attention: two-thirds of respondents view short news clips weekly, and around half engage with longer formats, mostly on platforms rather than publishers’ own sites.
AI is entering the news ecosystem: with 15% of under 25s using chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini weekly for news, though public trust in AI’s role in “hard” news remains cautious.
Subscription growth is slowing, with roughly 17% of users in advanced markets paying for online news; most non-payers are unwilling to pay full price. Publishers are responding by diversifying revenue, embracing bundles, AI partnerships, events, and even philanthropic funding.
The 2025 report underscores deep industry transformation: social and video dominance, the rise of influencer-driven news, persistent trust and misinformation challenges, increasing avoidance, the cautious integration of AI, and evolving business models, all amid demographic shifts in how people consume information.
