Ofcom’s News Consumption in the UK 2021 Report, produced by Jigsaw research, examines where UK consumers go to read, watch or listen to their news. It analyses their perception of media platforms including radio, print, social media, podcasts, websites and magazines.
As well as being rated highest for trustworthiness, magazines were judged by the largest proportion of respondents (73%) to have "a depth of analysis and content not available elsewhere" and to provide content that was important to them personally (74%).
In addition, magazines were deemed the best at helping people understand what's going on in the world today (71%), helping people make up their minds (67%), and giving the most impartial coverage compared to news consumed via TV, newspapers, radio, social media and other websites/apps.
Overall, TV remains the most popular news source among the general UK adult population (79%). Increasing numbers of people are consuming their news via social media, despite it being ranked the least trustworthy.
Among younger audiences aged 16-24, 89% follow news stories online, compared with under two-thirds (61%) who get their news from TV.