Have they replaced journalism?
Theodore Abbott (he/him) // News Editor
Charlotte Wong (she/her) // Illustrator
Young Canadians are increasingly dependent on influencers for news about politics and current events. This change comes as podcasting, video and social media platforms have overtaken traditional news media as the most influential outlets, not just in Canada, but across the globe.
The Oxford’s Reuters Institute describes this phenomenon, saying that “An accelerating shift towards consumption via social media and video platforms is further diminishing the influence of ‘institutional journalism’ and supercharging a fragmented alternative media environment containing an array of podcasters, youtubers, and TikTokers.”
In Canada, these trends are particularly noteworthy given that journalism institutions and news links are banned from Facebook and Instagram, because, as published in The Tyee, “Meta refuses to comply with a Canadian law that requires platforms to pay news producers for content.” This refers to Bill C-18.
This has given rise to various types of news influencers—some of which are bona fide—but the vast majority of whom have no credentials or formal training in journalism. These influencers often produce content that is emotionally charged and designed to be consumed in an extremely short-format (as opposed to long-form journalism). For better or for worse, within this new media landscape––devoid of professional standards or journalistic integrity––influencers have become “the information brokers of the internet, setting the pace for political conversation that traditional political parties, media outlets, and advocacy organizations struggle to match,” as stated by The Tyee.
According to a recent study by the Media Ecosystem Observatory (MEO), Canadians between the ages of 18–34 are those most likely to be getting their news from an influencer.
Looking at the 2024 B.C. provincial election, the study found that although news outlets posted more than influencers, the latter generated 63 per cent of all engagement. The study also examined the 2025 federal election, where 47 per cent of all political content was posted by influencers, with 28 per cent being posted by news outlets, and 18 per cent coming from politicians.
The study also highlights how the sheer volume of content plays a central role in the impact these influencers are having. With social media algorithms being structured around an insatiable appetite for content—which doesn’t necessarily need to be reliable or substantive—influencers are, in part, replacing traditional journalism by producing a virtually endless stream of podcasts, videos, and posts.
According to the researchers, the fragmented nature of this social media landscape gives way to “echo chambers” and misinformation, with hyper-individualized algorithms helping to compound polarization.
Influencers in Canada are rising to prominence as the primary arbiters of public opinion, helping to shape political discourse at both a local and national level. At the same time, traditionally influential news outlets are, as stated in the study from MEO, “not reaching as many people as they used to.” In the absence of what researchers call “formal accountability mechanisms,” Canada’s new media landscape is not only more decentralized, but also less reliable. And, until news outlets are no longer banned from Facebook and Instagram, the reach of these institutions will continue to diminish in the face of a situation that seems to favour influencers over traditional journalism.