More and more people now get their news from the internet and social media rather than from newspapers or television. Why has this change taken place? Is it a positive or negative development?

Printed newspapers and scheduled television bulletins are rapidly losing ground to websites, apps and social media feeds as the public's main source of news. This shift has occurred, in my view, because digital platforms fit modern life far better than traditional media do, and although it carries genuine risks, I consider it a broadly positive development. The reasons for the change are straightforward. Online news is immediate, free and portable: a commuter can read about an event within minutes of it happening, without paying for a paper or waiting for the evening broadcast. Social media adds a further layer of appeal by personalising the experience, since algorithms learn what each user cares about and deliver stories accordingly. Traditional outlets, by contrast, are constrained by printing deadlines and broadcasting schedules, and they ask audiences to accept a fixed menu of stories chosen by editors. For a generation raised on smartphones, that model feels slow and inflexible. Despite legitimate concerns about misinformation, I believe the overall effect of this transition is positive. Access to news has been democratised: people who could never afford daily papers can now follow world events, and citizens are no longer dependent on a handful of powerful media owners for their understanding of current affairs. Online platforms also allow ordinary people to document events as they unfold, which has exposed injustices that conventional journalism overlooked. The dangers of fake news are real, but they are best addressed through media literacy education and sensible regulation rather than by mourning the decline of print. In conclusion, the migration of news consumption to the internet reflects the convenience and personalisation that digital platforms offer. While society must actively manage the problem of unreliable content, giving more people faster and freer access to information is, on balance, a development to welcome.