The Reuters Institute Digital News Report highlights South Africa’s media landscape in 2025, illustrating a nation amid a digital transformation.
With traditional media losing its grip amid a global decline in trust, South Africans are turning towards social media platforms for news. Notably, 33% of the population now relies on TikTok for news updates, while 42% use YouTube, positioning South Africa among the top consumers of social video in the continent.
This shift in media consumption reflects a larger personality-driven journalism trend favouring influencers over traditional journalists, particularly on platforms like TikTok. Audiences increasingly trust content from these creators rather than conventional news outlets, a pattern emerging globally.
However, the rise of misinformation raises concerns, with 73% of South Africans worried about distinguishing fact from fiction online. While influencers and politicians are often viewed as misleading sources, traditional news brands still hold a credibility advantage regarding fact-checking.
The report also notes cautious engagement with AI technologies, such as chatbots and summarisation tools, which are seen as news sources by 15% of those under 25. Despite this, many are wary of fully automated content, even as AI has the potential to enhance accessibility within South Africa’s multilingual context.
South Africa’s digital landscape faces unique challenges compared to Western countries, driven by high data costs and limited digital literacy. While nations like Norway and the UK enjoy higher rates of paid subscriptions, South Africa predominantly relies on free, accessible platforms.
Yet, amid these challenges lie opportunities, particularly in local news coverage and the integration of AI to enhance relevance and inclusivity. As South Africa navigates this evolving digital ecosystem, it stands at the forefront of a new “social-first” approach to news, demanding fast, visual, and interactive content.
