A new report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism outlines mounting pressures on the global news industry, as artificial intelligence, platform shifts and political hostility reshape the environment in which journalism operates.
The report, Journalism and Technology Trends and Predictions 2026, draws on a survey of 280 digital leaders across 51 countries and territories.
It finds that only 38% of respondents are confident about the prospects for journalism in the year ahead, a decline of 22 percentage points compared with four years ago. By contrast, 53% say they remain confident about the prospects for their own organisations.
Author Nic Newman writes that journalism is being squeezed by two powerful forces: the rapid development of generative AI and the growing influence of personality-led creators and influencers.
At the same time, declining engagement and low trust in traditional media have encouraged some politicians and public figures to bypass news outlets altogether, opting instead for direct communication through podcasts, YouTube channels and social media.
The report highlights concerns about AI-driven “answer engines”, including Google’s AI Overviews and chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Publishers surveyed expect search traffic to decline by an average of 43% over the next three years.
Data cited from analytics firm Chartbeat show that referrals from Google Search and Discover have already fallen in several markets, though the impact varies by region and content type.
While some publishers have struck licensing deals with AI companies, only one in five respondents expects such agreements to become a significant source of revenue.
Executives also point to steep declines in referral traffic from platforms such as Facebook and X over recent years. In response, many publishers say they plan to invest more heavily in video and audio formats, with 79% identifying video as a priority in the era of AI.
The report noted that platforms such as YouTube and TikTok are seen as key distribution channels, particularly for reaching younger audiences.
At the same time, newsrooms are reassessing their editorial strategies. Respondents indicate a shift toward original investigations, contextual analysis and human-centred storytelling, areas they believe are harder for AI systems to replicate. By contrast, service journalism and evergreen content are expected to receive less emphasis.
The survey also reflects unease about the rise of creators. Seventy per cent of respondents say they are concerned that creators are taking time and attention away from publisher content, while 39% worry about losing editorial talent to independent ventures.
In response, three-quarters of publishers say they plan to encourage journalists to adopt more creator-style approaches, including building personal brands and engaging directly with audiences.
Despite these challenges, some executives express optimism that demand for trusted, verified information could strengthen the position of established news organisations in a digital environment increasingly crowded with low-quality or automated content.
The report concludes that while 2026 is likely to bring further disruption, it may also accelerate experimentation with new formats, revenue streams and technologies.