Young people in Great Britain are watching less and less news on television. This is according to Ofcom, a regulatory body that oversees broadcasting practices in the UK. This comes as no surprise as young people become increasingly addicted to their smartphones. Youth are opting for online distractions like YouTube videos, social media and games rather than switch on a TV and watch a news programme. Britain's Guardian newspaper reported that: "The youth of the nation are more likely to get their day's news about the world from social media or by reading graffiti in bus stations than seeing it on the telly, with the average 16-24-year-old watching just two minutes' worth of live TV news per day."
Ofcom commissioned research into the news-viewing habits of people around the country. The report is called "News Consumption in the UK: 2019". The research suggests that young people are increasingly using social media as their primary news source. Researchers wrote: "There is evidence that UK adults are consuming news more actively via social media." They reported an increase in posts and comments on Facebook and Twitter about the news compared to last year. Ofcom suggested presenting news stories in a less complicated, more accessible way to attract young people's attention. Some people suggested this would be "dumbing down content for young audiences".
