- Disinformation and lack of funding tie as the top threats to journalism, each cited by 32% of journalists
- Concern about unchecked AI rises to 26%, up 8 percentage points year over year
- AI adoption among journalists reaches 82%, with ChatGPT usage climbing to 47% and Gemini rising to 22%
- Reliance on social media for reporting declines to 21%, down 12 points since 2024
- 86% of journalists say PR pitches inspire at least some stories, yet 88% delete pitches that miss their beat
- LinkedIn is the most trusted platform for journalists (58%), while distrust in TikTok climbs to 61%
Miami, March 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Muck Rack today released its State of Journalism 2026 report, a comprehensive survey of journalists examining the challenges, technologies and industry dynamics shaping modern newsrooms.
Based on responses from nearly 900 journalists, the research highlights a profession navigating rapid technological change while continuing to prioritize trust, relevance and community impact in reporting.
AI Adoption in Journalism Continues to Grow
The State of Journalism 2026 report shows that artificial intelligence tools are becoming a routine part of newsroom workflows. Key AI findings include:
- 82% of journalists report using at least one AI tool, up from 77% last year
- ChatGPT is used by 47% of journalists
- Gemini usage increased from 13% to 22%
- Claude usage doubled from 6% to 12%
- Transcription tools remain widely used at 40%
At the same time, journalists remain cautious about AI’s broader implications. 26% of journalists cite unchecked AI as a top industry concern, up from 18% last year. Disinformation and lack of funding remain the top concerns, each cited by 32% of journalists.
“Journalism is under real pressure right now, but what stands out in this year’s data is how resilient the profession continues to be,” said Gregory Galant, cofounder and CEO of Muck Rack. “Journalists are experimenting with and adopting new tools while staying grounded in helping people understand what’s happening in the world. The tools will keep changing, but the need for trusted reporting that is shaped by human context and empathy isn’t going anywhere.”
Social Media’s Role Is Shifting
Journalists are rethinking how social platforms fit into their work. Only 21% say social media is very important to producing their work, down 12 percentage points since 2024.
However, social media remains critical for promotion, with 45% saying it is very important for amplifying their work. When it comes to specific platforms:
- Facebook ranks as the most valuable social platform for journalists (28%), followed by LinkedIn (20%)
- 58% of journalists trust LinkedIn to treat journalistic content fairly
- 61% say TikTok is untrustworthy, up 10 percentage points year over year
Journalism Remains Meaningful But Exhausting
Despite industry pressures, 65% of journalists still describe their work as meaningful, though nearly half say it’s exhausting.
More than half say misinformation has complicated their work over the past year, and nearly one-third say safety concerns have affected their work.
Relevance Remains the Biggest Challenge in Media Relations
While 86% of journalists say at least some of their stories originate from PR pitches, relevance is still the biggest challenge. Nearly half of journalists say they seldom receive pitches that match their coverage, and 88% immediately disregard pitches that miss their beat. But relevance can go beyond beat. 78% say a pitch feels genuinely relevant when it directly affects the community their audience belongs to.
Journalists say the most valuable elements of a pitch are:
- Clear relevance to their beat
- Access to relevant sources
- Original research or data
- High-resolution images
Methodology
Muck Rack surveyed 1,044 journalists between January 30 and March 2, 2026, with 897 responses included in the final analysis after data quality checks. Respondents were primarily based in the United States, with additional representation from the United Kingdom, Canada and India.
About Muck Rack
Muck Rack is the AI communications platform where trusted data, human expertise, and embedded intelligence come together to drive clarity, speed and impact. Thousands of companies turn to Muck Rack to make sense of the media conversation around them and understand how their brand shows up in the news and in AI-generated answers. Muck Rack combines global media monitoring, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) insights, social listening, trusted media data, AI automation, and analyst advisory to help organizations manage reputation, act quickly, and prove their impact across the PR workflow. Thousands of journalists also use Muck Rack’s free tools to showcase their work and analyze the news. Learn more at muckrack.com.
MEDIA Bailey Mark Senior Communications Manager bailey.mark@muckrack.com
