A major new industry forecast from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford has charted the forces set to reshape global news media in 2026. The annual Journalism, Media and Technology Trends and Predictions report finds that fewer than four in ten senior news executives are confident about journalism’s prospects this year, as publishers grapple with declining search referrals and persistent audience trust challenges.
The report is based on a survey of senior editors, executives, and digital leaders from news organisations in more than 50 countries. It examines how developments in AI, platform distribution, and audience behaviour are shaping newsroom strategy.
One of the report’s central findings concerns the growing role of generative AI in how people receive their news. It states that “the rapid shift from search engines to AI-powered answer engines is expected to reduce traffic to publisher websites”, with many respondents predicting a decline in referrals from search over the next few years. The report adds that generative AI tools are increasingly “intervening between audiences and original journalism”.
Senior editors and executives who took part in the survey said these developments were likely to place additional pressure on existing business models. According to the report, many respondents believe that AI will “make it harder for news organisations to maintain direct relationships with audiences”.
These concerns are reflected in recent industry action. The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging unauthorised use of its journalism to train AI models. This case has become a focal point in debates about how generative AI systems source and monetise news content.
The report received financial support from the Google News Initiative (GNI), as disclosed by the Reuters Institute. Google has invested heavily in developing artificial intelligence technologies, including AI-powered search and generative tools. The Google News Initiative also supports other Reuters Institute research, including the annual Digital News Report, which examines news consumption and trust across global markets.
The survey in the report also found evidence of a shift towards personality-led news consumption, particularly among younger audiences. The report states that “journalism is increasingly consumed through individuals rather than institutions”, with survey respondents pointing to platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, newsletters, and podcasts as areas of growing engagement.
In response to the wider availability of AI-generated content, many survey participants reported that their organisations were prioritising journalism that is more difficult to replicate. According to the report, respondents plan to focus on “investigative journalism, analysis, and distinctive reporting”, while reducing investment in more routine content.
The report concludes that the news industry is experiencing “ongoing adjustment rather than a single moment of disruption”, with the impact of AI and platform change expected to vary across markets and organisations in 2026.
