By Rakhee Naik. While TV news still draws millions of South African viewers, fresh data shows this long-standing habit is changing as audiences find new ways to stay informed.
Television remains the most popular source of news in South Africa, reaching 59% of viewers. However, this marks a 12% decline over the past three years, according to KLA’s YouGov Profiles. The research, which tracks how internet-connected South Africans across age groups get their news, points to a clear digital shift.
Social media sits close behind at 58%, despite a small 3% dip. This may seem counterintuitive, but with the rise of fake news, it may also mean that people are turning to more reliable sources for their news. Radio has seen steeper decline, dropping 12% to 49%, as audiences increasingly turn to digital platforms.
In contrast, news apps have gained traction, rising by 5% since 2021 to reach 39%. Podcasts have grown even more rapidly, up by 9% to 27% in 2024, catering to the demand for mobile-friendly, on-the-go formats. Printed newspapers remain stable at 38%, holding their ground over the past three years.
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- Print’s future: navigating decline and new opportunities (September 2024)
How different generations get news
When we break down these trends by generation*, some interesting patterns emerge:
- Television remains a dominant source across all generations, with around 60% relying on it. However, its gradual decline reflects growing digital competition.
- Social media is far more popular among Millennials (60%) than Baby Boomers (37%), showing a clear generational divide in news engagement.
- Radio is favoured by Baby Boomers (59%), while fewer Gen Z respondents (44%) see the appeal.
- Newspaper websites engage Millennials the most (52%), with Baby Boomers trailing at 44%, reflecting younger audiences’ preference for online news.
- News apps are growing across generations, with Millennials and Gen X leading at 42%, and Baby Boomers and Gen Z following at 39% and 33% respectively.
- Among digital news sources, News24 ranks as the most popular, followed by Daily Sun, City Press, and Business Day. For news apps, News24 also leads, trailed by eNCA, IOL News, and TimesLive.
* Generation Z (18-27 years old), Millennials (28-43 years old), Generation X (44-59 years old), Baby Boomers (60-78 years old).
Old-school brands still relevant in digital age
South Africans spend between one and 10 hours a week engaging with digital newspapers, highlighting digital platforms’ growing importance even as traditional media declines. This digital shift lets people stay informed in ways that fit their increasingly busy lifestyles.
Print still holds value, with Millennials leading at 41%, while both Gen Z and Baby Boomers follow at 36%. This indicates that print, while niche, resonates across age groups today.
Podcasts are rising in popularity, particularly with Gen Z (31%), compared to 16% of Baby Boomers, showing a clear generational shift toward audio content.
For media strategists and marketers, these trends showcase the need for a multi-platform approach. Younger generations increasingly engage with digital platforms like news apps, social media, and podcasts, while older generations still prefer TV, radio, and print. To reach Millennials and Gen Z effectively, mobile-first strategies are key. For Baby Boomers and Gen X, combining traditional formats with digital channels ensures broader reach.
As news platforms multiply and evolve, media strategies must adapt to reach each generation on their preferred platforms — from traditional broadcasts to the latest digital innovations.
Methodology:
Profiles: Segmentation and media planning tool. KLA in partnership with YouGov brings YouGov Profiles to the South African market. YouGov Profiles makes it simple to find and understand the audience that matters most to you. With data collected daily, it gives you the power to build and customise a portrait of your consumers’ entire world with unrivalled granularity. More than 12,500 variables are available in South Africa.
Dataset: 2024- 09 – 23
Population: Nationally representative sample of South African adults with access to the internet, aged 18+. n= 5649
Population groups filtered by:
- Generation Z (18-27 years old) n~ 1328, Millennials (28-43 years old) n~ 3446, Generation X (44-59 years old) n~ 702, Baby Boomers (60-78 years old) n~ 173.
Rakhee Naik-Vassan is the managing consultant at Insights at KLA.
