In Russia, the share of citizens who receive news from television has significantly decreased in recent years, while the number of those who abandon watching TV in favor of the internet and social networks is growing. Overall, the trend indicates a gradual weakening of state television's influence as the primary source of information. This was reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service, according to UNN.
Over more than four years of full-scale war against Ukraine, the share of people in Russia who consider television their main source of information has significantly decreased. On the eve of the invasion and during the first year of hostilities, approximately 60% of Russian respondents received all their news exclusively from TV screens. However, in 2024–2025, this figure fell to 55%, and by the beginning of 2026, it stood at only 47%
At the same time, the percentage of those who do not turn on the television at all or do not even have one at home is growing rapidly. While in the first half of 2022, such consumers accounted for only 18%, as of March 2026, that figure has reached 33%.
This trend is largely driven by the total discrepancy between Kremlin fakes and the actual situation at the front. Russians are increasingly outraged by the authorities' efforts to minimize or completely silence acute problems. In the spring of 2026, the number of Russian citizens actively following events in Ukraine stands at 44%, and only 30–35% of them still trust official information from TV and state media.
The situation regarding the "love for the boob tube" is even worse among Russian youth (aged 18–30). In this segment, only 16% of respondents name television as their main source of news. The absolute majority has long since moved to the internet and social networks.
In an attempt to maintain control over the core consumers of propaganda, the Kremlin blocks alternative platforms and tries to artificially dose the internet space with "correct" news,
However, the effectiveness of these efforts is highly questionable: currently, 55% of Russian consumers are convinced that they would lose nothing at all if television completely stopped broadcasting for at least a year.