Journalists view ‘disinformation’ and ‘fake news’ as the top threat to public interest journalism, according to a new study.

The 2025 Medianet 2025 Media Landscape survey indicates only slow adoption of generative AI, with 63 per cent of journalists claiming not to have used the tools yet. “Even though adoption has increased slightly, widespread anxiety about the impact of AI on journalistic integrity and job security remains high,” Medianet managing director Amrita Sidhu says. Some 88 per cent of respondents expressed concerns about generative AI and 16 per cent reported job losses linked to it.

Sidhu says “some journalists” acknowledge the need and inevitability of these changes, “the vast majority are struggling to adapt, and fear what these changes might mean for them, their industry and the implications for our society”.

Results of the survey of more than 500 journalists comes just weeks away from an Australian federal election, and raise concerns about the state of journalism ahead of it.

The report also highlights the complex relationship journalists have with social media. Seventy per cent use social media as a source, yet 67 per cent believe it contributes to misinformation and echo chambers.

Among platforms used professionally, Facebook continues to rank at the top, followed by Instagram and LinkedIn. Elon Musk’s X suffered a sharp decline in usage as a story source dropping from 69 per cent in 2022, to 58 per cent in 2023, and further down to 48 per cent in 2024. Bluesky is now being used by 19 per cent of journalists.

Most journalists recognised a decline in media trust, attributing it to fragmentation, polarisation and misinformation, with 28 per cent of journalists saying their own reporting was not free of bias.

Of respondents, almost 40 per cent said they had considered reporting for an additional or alternative platform or channel such as Substack, most of them seeking to supplement their income, and a smaller number wanting to share their opinions.

After social media, journalists admitted press releases were their biggest source, with PR contacts mailing them directly. Industry and professional contacts remain a top story source.