MORE than a third of journalists identified disinformation and misinformation as the most serious issues affecting journalism today, according to Muck Rack’s newly released State of Journalism report.
The survey, which gathered insights from over 1,500 journalists worldwide, also pointed to growing concerns about public trust in journalism, political polarisation, lack of funding, and government interference in the media etc.
The report indicates that artificial intelligence is rapidly gaining traction in newsrooms, with 77% of journalists now utilising AI tools in their daily work. ChatGPT emerged as the most widely used, followed by transcription tools (40%) and Grammarly (35%).
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Gregory Galant, cofounder and CEO of Muck Rack, noted that “the definition of a newsroom, and journalism itself, is changing. Journalists are no longer tied to legacy organisations. They’re publishing independently, building audiences and, in many cases, monetising that work.”
He added that while challenges persist, the shift is fundamentally reshaping not just journalism, but how public relations professionals interact with the media.
Social media use among journalists is also evolving. Facebook has overtaken X (formerly Twitter) as the most valuable platform, with 27% of journalists naming it their top tool, compared to 21% for X. LinkedIn has gained momentum, with more journalists spending time there over the past year, followed by Instagram (39%) and Bluesky (38%).
Despite the shifting landscape, 45% of journalists say social media remains important for promoting their work. However, concerns about online safety persist. 58% reported worries about harassment, reputational risks, or personal safety on these platforms. Notably, half of the respondents said they quit at least one social media platform last year.
Public relations continues to play a relevant role in journalism. Eighty-four per cent of journalists said at least some of their stories are influenced by PR pitches. Still, relevance remains crucial as 86% admitted to ignoring pitches that don’t align with their beat. While most journalists receive more than five pitches per day, only 3% said those pitches consistently match their reporting needs.
Despite the pressures, many journalists say they feel equipped for their roles. Sixty per cent reported having the tools and training they need, and over half expressed cautious optimism about the future of their careers.
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Still, workloads are expanding as 62% said they’ve taken on more responsibilities in the past year. While many feel they can still meet their standards, the emotional toll is evident: 67% described their work as meaningful, but nearly half (47%) also called it exhausting. More than a third of journalists now self-publish outside of traditional newsrooms, and 61% of those report earning income from their independent content.
The State of Journalism 2025 report is based on responses from 1,890 journalists surveyed between April 4 and April 30, 2025. After filtering out spam, duplicates, and low-quality responses, the final dataset included 1,515 verified participants, primarily based in the United States, with additional input from journalists in the UK, Canada, and India. The estimated margin of error is ±2.5%.
Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.
