Montanans are increasingly turning to social media for news, with 71% relying on it in 2025-2026.

The Greater Montana Foundation, working with the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research, released a survey on May 28, 2026, showing major shifts in how Montanans consume news. These changes highlight a structural move toward passive news consumption and ideological silos.

The 2025-2026 Sources of News Survey, based on responses from 406 randomly selected Montanans out of just over 1,600 invited, found that 67% now consume news passively, often via handheld devices using algorithms from Google, Apple News, or Samsung. Social media’s role as a news source climbed from 34% in 2015 to 71% in the latest survey. Meanwhile, sharing news online to influence others dropped sharply from 63% in 2019 to 26%. The number of people not following the news closely increased to 32%, yet 84% still regard local news as important. Survey chair Edwin Johnson expressed concern about growing ideological divides in news preferences.

The Greater Montana Foundation plans to conduct a future survey but has not set a timeline.

This shift toward passive and algorithm-driven news consumption could reshape Montana’s information landscape, especially considering the state’s rural geography and dispersed populations. Businesses and civic leaders might find it increasingly challenging to engage Montanans across ideological lines or through traditional news channels.

Survey looks at changing news consumption trends in Montana
By Jonathon Ambarian, KPAX News

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