Fact Check: "Digital subscriptions to newspapers have increased in recent years."
What We Know
The claim that digital subscriptions to newspapers have increased in recent years is contradicted by recent data. According to the DCN Digital Media Subscription Tracking Report – Q1 2025, digital newspaper subscriptions in the U.S. have actually declined year over year, dropping from a 22% share of U.S. households to 19%. This report highlights a broader trend in the subscription media landscape, indicating that while total digital subscriptions across various platforms have grown, the share specifically attributed to digital newspapers has decreased.
Furthermore, the Overview and key findings of the 2025 Digital News Report corroborate this decline, noting that traditional news media is struggling with low engagement and trust, which has contributed to stagnating digital subscriptions.
Analysis
The evidence presented in the DCN report and the Reuters Institute report indicates a clear trend: while the overall digital subscription market is growing, the specific segment of digital newspaper subscriptions is not following this trajectory. The decline from 22% to 19% in household subscriptions is significant and suggests a shift in consumer preferences away from traditional news sources towards other forms of digital content, such as video and audio subscriptions.
The reliability of these sources is high. The DCN report is based on comprehensive tracking of digital media subscriptions and provides year-over-year comparisons, making it a credible source for understanding market trends. Similarly, the Reuters Institute is a well-respected organization in journalism research, often cited for its thorough analysis of media trends. Both reports are grounded in data and reflect the current state of the digital subscription landscape.
In contrast, the claim that digital subscriptions to newspapers have increased lacks supporting evidence and is directly contradicted by the data from these reputable sources.
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The claim that digital subscriptions to newspapers have increased in recent years is false. The evidence shows a decline in digital newspaper subscriptions, with significant shifts in consumer behavior favoring other types of digital content. The data from credible sources clearly indicates that the market for digital newspapers is not growing, contrary to the claim.
