Skip to content

Key findings

Introduction

Mobiles and tablets

  • The use of smartphones and tablets has jumped significantly in the past year, with fewer people using their computers for news.
  • More than a third of online news users across all countries (39%) use two or more digital devices each week for news and a fifth (20%) now say their mobile phone is their primary access point
  • Read more on new devices

New disruption

  • US social sharing news sites like Huffington Post and Buzzfeed are beginning to make inroads around the world, with new formats and a fresh tone of voice aimed at younger people.
  • Even so, traditional brands remain strong in most markets, with cross-platform newspaper reach averaging 75% in most countries.
  • Read more on brand performance

Paying for news

  • The number of people paying for digital news (11% average) has remained stable over the past 12 months, although we have seen a significant switch to more valuable ongoing digital subscription in most countries.
  • Of those paying for news in all countries, 59% are paying for an ongoing subscription (43% 2013). Of those who are not paying, 15% say they are likely to pay in the future
  • Read more on online news payment
  • Our new (and unique) social media index for news shows Facebook is by far the most important network for news everywhere.
  • Although Twitter is widely used in the US, Spain, and the UK, it is far less influential in many other European countries. Google+ is emerging as increasingly important for news, along with messaging application WhatsApp.
  • Read more on social networks

Interactive

Comment & analysis

About us

The Reuters Institute Digital News Report aims to deliver useful and timely data about the transition to digital. Read more about our annual survey ...

Read more about us

Survey Methodology

The polling was conducted by YouGov in February 2014 using online samples in ten countries. Find out more about the methods involved.

Read more about our methodology

Resources

You can view or download a Powerpoint presentation of all of the charts and tables in the 2014 report.

Read more on our resources