Are you sick of the news, or just can’t understand it? The global surge of news avoidance.

Reuters Digital News Report reveals a recent increase in news avoidance and the reasons behind it.

“While the majority of people across countries remain engaged and use the news regularly, we find that many also increasingly choose to ration or limit their exposure to it – or at least to certain types of news.” This quote from the Reuters 2022 Digital News report sets off the conversation of why and for what reason people are choosing to avoid news media. For centuries, the news has been consumed by large portions of the population. Many societies have treasured and treated the news as a tool for progress and knowledge. Now, this seems to be changing as reports demonstrate that people have begun to avoid it.

Proportion who sometimes or often actively avoid the news. Source: Reuters Institute.

Of those surveyed, many have stated that they are simply “put off” by the repetitiveness of the news agenda, especially in regard to politics and the COVID-19 pandemic (43%). Other reasons include being worn out by the news (29%), distrust of the news (29%), negative effects on mood caused by news (36%), arguments or conflict caused by news (17%), feelings of powerlessness in regards to the news (16%) and lack of time for news consumption (14%).

Most common reasons for news avoidance. Source: Reuters Institute.

Some of the reasons stated above are simply caused by the fast-moving world in which we live. Many people live busy lives and often do not have time to consume media in general. However, a problem seems to arise from these results. What seems to be occurring is that the most highlighted journalistic practices like political journalism and global-health journalism seem to be the driving factors behind this avoidance of news. Political stances also play a role in this dilemma. In the US, 65% of self-acclaimed right-wing voters stated that they avoid news due to untrustworthiness or bias in the news. On the other hand, a smaller 20% of self-acclaimed left-wing voters stated this reason for news avoidance.

An interesting issue also arises within the Reuters Report. Young people from developed countries like the USA and Australia have stated that news is hard to follow and understand. This does not occur with the portion of the population over 35 years of age which does not seem to be struggling with the understanding of news.

The Reuters Report gives some detailed statistics on the many reasons why news is beginning to be avoided more and more. It sheds light on the part that journalists and news media play in this issue and perhaps, foreshadows the future of news.