Press Gazette’s latest annual ranking of the biggest English-language news publishers on YouTube shows strong subscriber growth across the board, with the platform solidifying its role as a key destination for news consumption.
The analysis highlights how traditional broadcasters, newspapers, and digital outlets are expanding their audiences on the video platform.
The BBC now leads with 19.7 million subscribers, climbing four spots since the previous ranking in January 2025 to surpass Vice News (19.1 million), ABC News (19.5 million), and CNN (19.5 million). USA Today remains the largest U.S. newspaper on YouTube with 7.5 million subscribers (up 3%), while The Sun leads U.K. newspapers with 6.4 million (up 7%).
Key Highlights from the Ranking
Press Gazette identified 122 English-language news publishers with more than one million YouTube subscribers, up from previous counts, with seven new entrants crossing the threshold (including LBC, The Independent, Novara Media, and others). A separate list of 28–31 major news influencers also showed even faster growth.
Overall growth:
- The 115 publishers tracked from the prior ranking grew subscribers by an average of 16%. News influencers averaged 20% growth.
- Top performers: Fifteen publishers now exceed 10 million subscribers, including Al Jazeera English (18 million), NDTV (15.7 million), and Fox News (15.2 million).
- U.S. and U.K. newspaper leaders: USA Today and The Sun hold their positions as the biggest in their respective markets.
YouTube’s importance for news continues to rise. The platform reported over 15 billion hours of news watched in the first half of 2025 alone, with half of polled voters now getting more news from YouTube than traditional TV. Publishers plan to invest heavily in the platform this year, according to industry reports.
The ranking, Press Gazette’s third since 2022, also tracks views, upload volume, and fastest-growing channels. For instance, Indian outlet Firstpost added the most subscribers (2.9 million, +45%), while channels like India Today lead in video output.
Among influencers, figures like Johnny Harris and Joe Rogan (20.9 million subscribers) draw massive engagement.
This data underscores YouTube’s shift from a supplementary platform to a core distribution channel for news organizations worldwide, driving both subscriber gains and strategic pivots toward video content tailored for younger audiences.