Social media is now playing a larger role in how Australians access news, and new research suggests this shift is not entirely bad news. A study led by the University of South Australia has found that social media platforms, particularly Facebook, are helping diversify the news diet of Australians, even as traditional newsrooms shrink or shut down.
The findings come from an analysis of more than 86,000 Facebook posts shared between 2010 and 2022 by Australian print, digital, and television newsrooms. The research, led by UniSA lecturer Cameron McTernan, suggests that the rise of distributed digital platforms has brought a wider range of news sources and voices into view for Australian readers.
“The study found that news shared on Facebook is much more diverse than news shared by traditional media,” McTernan said. “There are many different sources and perspectives on social media, and that can have a powerful effect on what people are exposed to.”
At the beginning of the period studied, the most popular Facebook news pages in Australia were ABC News, 9News and news.com.au. Over time, however, outlets like Daily Mail Australia and Sky News Australia rose to prominence. The bulk of news shared on Facebook came from newspaper publishers (56%), followed by digital-only platforms (37%), and television news outlets (7%).
The study also mapped out what kinds of news these platforms shared. Print and digital newsrooms tended to focus on local stories, while television leaned heavily towards coverage of major cities and national issues.
These shifts come against the backdrop of a media sector under pressure. Australia’s media ownership remains heavily concentrated, and many local and regional newsrooms have closed in the past decade. McTernan believes social media offers a mixed picture: it brings new voices into the conversation, but it also pulls revenue away from traditional outlets.
“Social media can make it easier for people to find different kinds of news and information, but it’s also drawing away the ad dollars that once kept traditional newsrooms afloat,” he said. “That tension is hard to resolve, and it’s hitting the news industry much harder than it’s hitting tech companies.”
He added that the broad reach of digital platforms has the potential to improve public debate. “When people have access to more diverse news sources, they’re more likely to challenge their own assumptions and understand different perspectives. That’s good for democracy.”
But the future of news on social media remains uncertain. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has confirmed it will stop paying Australian publishers for content once current agreements under the News Media Bargaining Code come to an end. The company’s position has sparked concern among media advocates and prompted a response from the Australian government.
To address this, the government has proposed a News Bargaining Incentive scheme, aimed at encouraging platforms like Meta to continue contributing to the sustainability of Australian journalism. A public consultation on the scheme is expected to open soon.
McTernan said his research was driven by the need for better data about what Australians are actually seeing when they get their news online.
“There’s been a lot of talk about how concentrated Australia’s media is, but we didn’t have a detailed picture of how that plays out on platforms like Facebook. This study helps fill that gap,” he said.
The research comes as the University of South Australia prepares to join with the University of Adelaide to form a new institution, Adelaide University, which will begin operating in January 2026. The new university aims to focus on globally relevant research and industry-led teaching, with a continued emphasis on topics such as media, communication, and democracy.
As traditional journalism continues to face challenges, McTernan believes studies like this are essential for shaping smarter media policies. “If we’re going to make informed decisions about the future of news, we need to understand how people are actually consuming it,” he said. “And that means tracking not just the old media, but the new platforms too.”
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