The Digital News Report: Australia 2026 shows how news consumption and trust are shaped by external factors. In a period of global crises, Australians are turning to trusted news sources to make sense of complex developments. Interest in news and politics is increasing among women and young people, and news influencers and AI chatbots are reshaping how people get information. News organisations face the challenge of engaging audiences who are simultaneously curious and cautious. This report informs government and industry by providing internationally comparative data across 48 markets, as well as commentary from media and news industry experts. 

Key findings include:

• Heavy news consumption has risen to 56% (+3), with strong growth among 18-24s (49%, +11).
• Audiences trust my news (54%) more than twice as much as news on social media (21%) or from AI chatbots (19%).
• 60% of 18-24-year-olds have never read a printed newspaper.
• 43% of Australian news consumers get news from creators and influencers.
• Half (49%) of news consumers say Public Service Media (PSM) play a positive role in Australian life.

For more information follow the link below to read the full report.