Top 50 English-Language News Websites Worldwide: Indian Brands Experience Significant Traffic Declines in May 2026
June 11, 2026 – Press Gazette Analysis
The competitive landscape of online news continues to evolve rapidly, with significant shifts in audience traffic among the world’s leading English-language news websites. In May 2026, a detailed analysis by Press Gazette, using data from Similarweb, highlights widespread traffic declines across many prominent news brands, with Indian news websites among the hardest hit.
Key Findings: Traffic Drops and Growth Patterns
More than 20% of the top 50 English-language news websites experienced a year-on-year drop in traffic of 20% or more in May 2026. Notably, four of the five sites with the steepest declines were based in India, signaling particular challenges for this market sector.
Among the worst affected was India.com, which saw a dramatic 78% decrease in visits, falling to 56.2 million. This was followed by the Hindustan Times with a 54% decline to 138.7 million visits and Buzzfeed, which fell by 46% to 60.5 million visits. Other hard-hit Indian brands included the Indian Express (down 40% to 103.2 million) and India Today (down 34% to 71.2 million). Overall, 36 of the top 50 sites recorded declines of 10% or more year on year in May.
Countering this downward trend, just eight newsbrands showed traffic growth during the same period. Leading the pack was Al Jazeera, which maintained its momentum with a 69% year-on-year rise, reaching 210.8 million visits in May. The newsletter platform Substack also sustained strong growth with a 49% increase to 169.1 million visits. Additionally, The Sun US, a site launched in 2020, posted a notable 34% growth to 30.4 million visits and led month-on-month growth at 43%.
However, the UK counterpart of The Sun saw mixed results, with its UK site declining 7% year-on-year to 54.6 million visits but still achieving a 6% rise month on month. It is important to note that Similarweb reports the URLs for The Sun in the UK and the US separately.
Other sites showing positive month-on-month growth included The Hindu (+20% to 68.1 million visits) and Daily Express (+16% to 41.8 million visits).
Broader Trends: Fluctuations Over Recent Months
A closer look back at the first five months of 2026 reveals ongoing volatility. For instance, April 2026 saw a significant dip with 47 out of 50 news sites experiencing declines on a monthly basis, following a period of exceptional growth for certain players in March. In March, Al Jazeera surged nearly 400% year on year, driven by heightened interest in Middle East news after US and Israeli strikes on Iran late February.
Indian news sites faced repeated hardships through these months, with brands like Rediff and NDTV occasionally registering month-on-month gains but generally unable to reverse overall negative year-on-year trends. For example, in April, India.com dropped 66% year on year, while Hindustan Times decreased by 50%.
The data also reveals shifting interests among global audiences, as external geopolitical events appear to influence spikes in readership; Al Jazeera’s surging traffic notably reflects this pattern.
Methodology and Data Considerations
It is worth noting Similarweb has recently revised how it calculates global audience figures for some organizations such as the BBC. The methodology now accounts for country-specific redirects between bbc.co.uk and bbc.com, offering a more accurate composite figure.
Industry Impact and Reflections
The marked decline in traffic to several major Indian news websites raises questions about market dynamics and digital strategies amid growing competition and changing consumer behaviors. Conversely, the growth experienced by platforms like Al Jazeera and Substack reflects the increasing demand for specialized and diversified news consumption channels.
The contrasting fortunes within the set of top English-language news providers underscore the ongoing challenges news organizations face in maintaining and expanding their online audiences in an increasingly fragmented digital media environment.
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