Social media has officially become the leading source of news for Kenyans, overtaking both television and radio in a major shift that is redefining how information is consumed across the country.
Findings from the State of the Media 2025 Survey Report indicate that 39 per cent of Kenyans now rely primarily on social media platforms for news. This positions digital platforms at the center of public discourse, displacing legacy media that have historically dominated the information space.
The transition reflects deeper structural changes driven by widespread smartphone adoption, lower data costs, and the rise of real-time, user-driven content ecosystems. Platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and WhatsApp are increasingly serving not just as distribution channels, but as primary newsrooms for millions of users.
At the same time, the report reveals a weakening relationship between audiences and traditional digital news outlets. More than half of respondents, 55 per cent, said they did not visit any news website in a typical day. This suggests that even online news consumption is increasingly mediated through social feeds rather than direct engagement with publisher platforms.
Media analysts say the implications are significant. Editorial control is shifting away from institutional gatekeepers toward algorithm-driven visibility, where virality often determines reach. This raises concerns about accuracy, verification, and the amplification of unverified content.
For media houses, the data signals an urgent need to rethink distribution strategies, audience engagement models, and monetization frameworks in a digital-first environment.
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