More people now access news on the internet and via mobile apps than they do via newspapers, a new study by Ofcom has revealed.

According to Ofcoms News Consumption in the UK report, 41 per cent of people now access their news via websites and apps, up significantly from 32 per cent in 2013. Meanwhile, newspaper consumption has held steady from last year at 40 per cent. Among to 16-34 age group, digital news consumption is even more prevalent, with 60 per cent accessing news this way, up from 44 per cent in 2013.

Television news remains the most popular way to access news, with 75 per cent consuming this way, although this has dropped from 78 per cent last year. There are clear age distinctions in how news is consumed, with those aged 55+ vastly preferring television to digital news (90 per cent compared to 21 per cent), while with those aged 16-24, the figure for television consumption is only 59 per cent, slightly below digital news.

When asked to indicate the single-most important source of news to them, there has been a marked increase in those choosing a website or app, with figures rising from 14 per cent in 2013 to 21 per cent in 2014. Among those aged 1-24, this figure reaches 45 per cent, indicating that among young people, digital news is not only readily accessed, but their primary source of information.

Focusing on mobile consumption, the study shows that 13 per cent of UK adults use a tablet to access news, while 21 per cent use a smartphone. Again, the use of mobile devices is far more noticeable among the young. 17 per cent use Facebook as a news source.