This is one of the most striking findings from the Digital News Report 2023 by the Reuters Institute: the social network TikTok has now become a privileged channel for accessing information for young generations worldwide, who are paying increasing attention to influencers and less to journalists and traditional media.
More broadly, social networks are now emerging as major new gateways to news content. And in the face of their growing influence, journalism is undergoing unprecedented changes.
More broadly, social networks are now emerging as major new gateways to news content. And in the face of their growing influence, journalism is undergoing unprecedented changes.
Social networks, now at the heart of journalistic work
According to the 2023 State of Media in France white paper by Cision, almost all journalists (96%) now use social networks as part of their work: 84% use LinkedIn, 80% use X, 78% use Facebook, 68% use Instagram, and 14% use TikTok.
And for good reason: these platforms offer incredible opportunities for monitoring, collecting information, or calling for witnesses. According to the same study, for example, 45% of journalists use social networks to connect with experts or request interviews, 43% to source information, and 24% to stay informed about "trending topics."
Journalists are also using social networks to promote their work and interact with their audience. French journalist Hugo Clément, for example, who is very engaged in environmental issues, is followed by 1.2 million subscribers on Instagram, 930,000 on Facebook, 700,000 on X, and nearly 800,000 on TikTok.
So, social networks are a fantastic tool for journalists. But their emergence in the media landscape raises many issues.
The new challenges of journalism in the face of social networks
Fighting misinformation, a new priority for the profession
According to Cision, journalists believe that combating fake news is their biggest current challenge. And social networks are not innocent in this: according to a study published by the startup News Guard, for example, 1 out of 5 TikTok videos contains incorrect information.
Information professionals must therefore redouble their efforts to verify their sources and develop fact-checking strategies. Laurent Barthélémy, at the time a tech journalist at the Digital/Culture division of Agence France-Presse, explained this in an interview: "Social networks are extremely useful [...] they bring us a considerable amount of information. However, I always verify this information by exchanging with sources [...]. If I form my perception of facts solely through Twitter, I know I'm taking a big risk."
Journalists, now in "competition" with influencers
The report from the Reuters Institute mentioned earlier points to another major phenomenon: "The younger generations, who have grown up with social networks, often pay more attention to influencers or celebrities than to journalists, even when it comes to information," we can read.
At a time when the credibility of traditional media is declining in public opinion, information professionals must not only preserve the quality and objectivity of their work but also find innovative ways to engage an audience that now prefers other sources of information.
To avoid being overtaken by influencers, some information professionals decide to adopt their codes. This is, for example, the approach of Hugo Travers, better known under the pseudonym "Hugo Décrypte," whom we interviewed a few months ago: he and his team of journalists have attracted millions of young people on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, with the mission of making information accessible to as many people as possible. France 2 TV channel recently announced that it would entrust him with a 30-minute program once a month on its channel, with the first interview scheduled for October 28th.
The challenge of adapting economic models
Finally, social networks pose major challenges to the journalistic profession in terms of revenue sharing. The advertising revenue generated by social networks mainly benefits the platforms, and journalists are calling for fairer compensation for their work.
This is the whole issue of debates around the "neighbouring right," which provides for media to be paid when their content is reused by Web giants, especially on social networks. Although this principle entered legislation thanks to a European directive adopted in 2019, the law struggles to be applied.
For example, the X platform, which underwent significant changes following its acquisition by Elon Musk, currently refuses to respect the neighbouring right and has even been sued by leading French media such as Le Monde, Le Figaro, or AFP.
The future of journalism's remuneration models in the context of the rise of social networks remains a hot topic of discussion that is far from being settled.
Ingrid de Chevigny
According to Cision, journalists believe that combating fake news is their biggest current challenge. And social networks are not innocent in this: according to a study published by the startup News Guard, for example, 1 out of 5 TikTok videos contains incorrect information.
Information professionals must therefore redouble their efforts to verify their sources and develop fact-checking strategies. Laurent Barthélémy, at the time a tech journalist at the Digital/Culture division of Agence France-Presse, explained this in an interview: "Social networks are extremely useful [...] they bring us a considerable amount of information. However, I always verify this information by exchanging with sources [...]. If I form my perception of facts solely through Twitter, I know I'm taking a big risk."
Journalists, now in "competition" with influencers
The report from the Reuters Institute mentioned earlier points to another major phenomenon: "The younger generations, who have grown up with social networks, often pay more attention to influencers or celebrities than to journalists, even when it comes to information," we can read.
At a time when the credibility of traditional media is declining in public opinion, information professionals must not only preserve the quality and objectivity of their work but also find innovative ways to engage an audience that now prefers other sources of information.
To avoid being overtaken by influencers, some information professionals decide to adopt their codes. This is, for example, the approach of Hugo Travers, better known under the pseudonym "Hugo Décrypte," whom we interviewed a few months ago: he and his team of journalists have attracted millions of young people on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, with the mission of making information accessible to as many people as possible. France 2 TV channel recently announced that it would entrust him with a 30-minute program once a month on its channel, with the first interview scheduled for October 28th.
The challenge of adapting economic models
Finally, social networks pose major challenges to the journalistic profession in terms of revenue sharing. The advertising revenue generated by social networks mainly benefits the platforms, and journalists are calling for fairer compensation for their work.
This is the whole issue of debates around the "neighbouring right," which provides for media to be paid when their content is reused by Web giants, especially on social networks. Although this principle entered legislation thanks to a European directive adopted in 2019, the law struggles to be applied.
For example, the X platform, which underwent significant changes following its acquisition by Elon Musk, currently refuses to respect the neighbouring right and has even been sued by leading French media such as Le Monde, Le Figaro, or AFP.
The future of journalism's remuneration models in the context of the rise of social networks remains a hot topic of discussion that is far from being settled.
Ingrid de Chevigny
