From James O’Brien to Tucker Carlson: Rise of News Influencers

In recent years, large social and video networks, which offer powerful creator tools and free global distribution, have provided a platform for an increasingly wider range of voices and perspectives. Most of this content has nothing to do with news. Much of it generates very little attention, but some accounts and individuals have become increasingly influential about politics and a number of other subjects

In previous research we have shown how in newer networks such as Tiktok and Instagram In addition to long -term video platforms like Youtube, mainstream media is significantly challenged by a so -called creator, influencer and various personalities, as well as smaller, alternative news venues. This is in contrast to networks such as Facebook and X (formerly Chirp) where mainstream media and journalists still tend to lead the conversation when it comes to news.

Who are the biggest “news influences” in the UK, USA and France?

In this year Digital News ReportThe We wanted to understand more about who this news influences are, what kind of “news” they discuss and what this means for a larger society.

We did this by asking a random selection of people using a range of popular networks including Facebook X, YoutubeInstagram and TikTok to mention up to three mainstream and/or alternative accounts that they followed most closely related to news.

We then counted the most popular individuals and news brands from the combined tasks. We did this in about 20 countries around the world, but in this article we explore finds in just three – UK, USA And France.

United Kingdom: High representation of ‘mainstream’ journalists

Traditional British news brands established an early and strong presence in social media networks such as Twitter (now X) and Facebook, but have been slower to adapt to newer networks.

Despite this, we find over all studied networks that the majority (57%) of all mentions were for mainstream news brands and their journalists and 43% for other individuals and alternative media.

Large broadcasters like BBC and Sky do the best, along with The custodianBut these brands are more challenged on Youtube and Tiktok by a number of youth -oriented stores such as Politics JoeThe Ladbibleand TLDR news – And also by more partisan political stores such as Novara Media and individual creators.

(Read more: Video mark TLDR finds ways to make money giving news to the young)

When it comes to our list of top ten individual accounts, we also find a high representation of journalists from mainstream medium brands.

To top the list is LBCJames O’Brien, who has been particularly effective on Youtube and TikTok with smart packaged videos from its radio program that regularly goes viral. ITV’s political correspondent Robert Peston, an early social media adopter, is in second place.

Also represented is previously CNN, ITV and TalkV worth Piers Morgan as recently Took his eponymous uncensored show online-endest to get around what he calls “unnecessary strait jack” by TV schedules.

There is a clear absence of women in the most mentioned list. Partisan -Perspective is provided, on the left, by the columnist and author Owen Jones and to the right of TV hosts from GB news. These include Nigel Farage, now the leader of Reform UK, and Neil Oliver, whose controversial views on Lockdowns and vaccinations have led to Complaints to the Consignment Regulator ICOM.

Comedian Russell Brand attracts an eclectic audience for his pronounced, libertarian and anti-keeper media views expressed male via Youtube (and Rumble).

Sports journalists David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano, both with a rumor for transmission coops, are generally followed, as well as others with special knowledge such as Dan Neidle, a former high -profile lawyer as Break stories about Dodgy’s tax issues about the rich and famous.

Influencer Dylan Page drives what he claims is the largest English news account at TikTok (10.6 million followers).

Celebrities, such as BBC football present and podcast contractor Gary Lineker (nine million followers at X) occasionally about politics and refugees and Elon Musk’s tweets (150 million followers) are also generally followed in the UK.

USA: Much higher use of Youtube for news

We see a completely different image in the US with much higher use of Youtube for news compared to the UK and a higher proportion of these users who pay attention to alternative news sources.

X (formerly Twitter) is another important network for alternative voices in the United States, where creators have been encouraged in recent years by owner Elon Musk. The network has recently focused its strategy on video and supports commentators such as Tucker Carlson, who was dismissed by Fox NewsAnd has since built a significant audience there.

Our list of the most mentioned individuals is led by Carlson together with Joe Rogan who runs a successful daily show on Youtube (as well as Spotify).

It is striking that all the most mentioned (top ten) individual names are known for political comment or chat – rather than original news collection. Most of the content is the partisan – with little or no attempt to put the other side, and the whole top of ten consists of men.

Many of these names can hardly be called “alternatives”, as they often come up with decades of experience from Legacy Media, have previously been fixtures for several years at traditional cable or call radio networks.

Some of these American individuals are linked to wider network networks, such as Daily Wire and Blaze TV (Conservatives) and young Turks and the media’s touch (progressive) containing several creators within a broader brand.

But regardless of politics, the look is remarkably consistent – somewhere between a podcast and a TV broadcast – with mostly male hosts armed with large microphones that talk to mostly male guests.

Alternative votes received a total of more quotes from our American test than traditional media, but mainstream media brands and their journalists still accounted for 42% of CNN and Fox News that led the list.

At TikTok, however, alternative news methods are also prominent, such as @undedeskenews, an account containing Creator V Spehar that presents news updates from a landscape position to contrast with the formal “over the desk” on mainstream TV. The account has over three million subscribers with content aimed at explaining current events and news to younger audiences.

Elon Musk regularly publishes content on topics such as freedom of speech, AI and failures in mainstream media. Donald Trump was also mentioned often and has 65 million followers of X and 6.5 million on truth social.

France: Young News influences lead the way

In France, we find that mainstream media are challenged on social and video platforms by a number of alternative media including a number of young news influencers.

Heads and shoulders above others we find Youtuber and Podcaster Hugo Travers, 27, Known online as Hugo Décrypt, (literally Hugo Decifer … News). With 2.6 million subscribers on his main channel on Youtube and 5.7 million on TikTok, he has become a leading news source for young French people.

In our survey data, Décrypt received more mentions than The worldLe Figaro and liberation together. His followers had a middle age of 27, about 20 years younger than many other news brands according to our data. Traverse regularly interviews top politicians and global figures like Bill Gates. Social media production “Won’t start reading a newspaper or watch the news on TV at 30,” he says.

Youth -focused news brands such as Brut and Konbini have also built large audiences through social and video distribution. This level of engagement highlights the weakness of many traditional French news brands, which are still mainly satisfying older elites and has been slow to renew themselves through social platforms.

Protecting the environment has become an important theme for alternative voices with Hugo Clément (32) and Salomé Saqué (28) two prominent voices, which have built their ecological reputation via social media.

At the same time, many older, male, proper learning commentators, such as Pascal Praud and former presidential candidate Éric Zemmour, expand their influence through like -minded and mostly older communities on X and Facebook.

Farthest right politician like Marine Le Pen (a million followers on Tiktok) and her 28 -year -old Protégé Jordan Bardella (1.6 million) were also mentioned in our tasks as the National Rally Lader successfully directed the youth vote for the European election.

Consequences for mainstream media From News Influencer -results

When we look over our three selected countries, we find that news -related accounts of some kind are quoted more often in the United States than they are in the UK or France.

In the United States, we also find a larger number of alternative news or individual accounts mentioned as opposed to mainstream news brands and journalists, which indicates that the trend against News -Armers is much more developed here.

In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, mainstream media brands and journalists follow both and generally follow less of a gap for independent operators.

By digging further into the content itself, we find that many of the most cited stories belong to party political commentators (from left and right), some of which have been criticized for actual errors and for spreading conspiracy or misleading stories, even if they are very Much trusts those who share their political views.

Many of the commentators who have now undertaken to distribute online emphasize their ability to speak freely (eg Tucker Carlson unfiltered, Piers Morgan Uncensored) and set themselves as an alternative to a mainstream media as they say “suppress the truth” or Powered by “elite and corporate interests. But any increase in the opinion is not matched by diversity, with the most popular accounts mostly white and male in the three countries included here.

A second important trend is the popularity of news creators and influencers who speak to younger audiences, mostly with video format. In France, Hugo Décrypt is passionate about trying to make the news more accessible and entertaining. Elsewhere, brands such as Brut, Politics Joe and TLDR News are a large number during 35’s with younger hosts, as well as an agenda that includes more content about climate, social justice and mental health.

The vitality of alternative voices in social and video networks in some ways highlights perceived weaknesses in news organizations on issues such as trust, diversity and digital story – at least with some people. All this means that traditional media still have a lot to learn about how to better engage the audience in this increasingly complex and competitive space while keeping believing in their mission and values.

You can read more information about news consumption in countries and on broader audience trends at www.digitalnewsreport.org/2024.

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